Rabuka confined to home ahead of trial

SUVA - Former Fiji prime minister and military coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka has been confined to his home for the duration of his trial beginning this week on charges of attempting to incite a mutiny against the armed forces chief.

The Supreme Court judge trying Rabuka varied his bail conditions today in a pre-trial hearing in Suva, restricting him to his residence except for attending court and visiting his lawyers.

Justice Gerard Winter also forbade the former leader from speaking to the media or publishing articles in newspapers.

The trial is scheduled to begin later in the week.

Rabuka has pleaded not guilty to two counts of incite to mutiny alleged to have occurred in July and November, 2000.

He is alleged to have attempted to persuade an army officer to commit mutiny by removing Fiji military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

A former military officer, Rabuka took power in two coups in 1987 and became elected prime minister in the 1990s.

- AAP