Fiji judge rules against Speight prosecutor

The High Court in Fiji has rejected an attempt to suspend the treason prosecution against the failed coup leader, George Speight, and nine of his fellow-conspirators.

The Director of State Prosecutions argued that the magistrate in charge of committal hearings, Salesi Temo, was biased in favour of Mr Speight.

The director cited Mr Temo's ruling that the identities of more than one hundred prosecution witnesses should be disclosed before the trial starts; the prosecution says that could lead to intimidation of potential witnesses.

But the High Court judge Nazhat Shameem said there had been no bias or abuse of procedure.

She will rule next week on whether to order the identification of witnesses. Mr Speight and his alleged co-conspirators remain in custody.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service