Case against George Speight to start Wednesday

A preliminary hearing into treason charges against Fiji coup leader George Speight starts in the Magistrates' Court in Suva next Wednesday.

High Court Judge Nazhat Shameem has ruled 114 witnesses to be called by the prosecutor will start giving their evidence then.

The hearing was due to start yesterday, but the High Court was asked to rule on the eligibility of the witnesses.

The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a ruling because of concerns for the safety of some of the witnesses.

The judge also dismissed a prosecution request to exclude the chief magistrate, Salesi Temo, from the hearing because of allegations of bias in favour of Speight.

- IRN