Speight sentenced to death

1.40 pm UPDATE

SUVA - The leader of the May 2000 coup against the government of Fiji has been sentenced to death.

George Speight pleaded guilty to treason when he appeared in the Fiji High Court this morning.

Speight was ordered to be taken from the court to a prison and then to a place of execution and be hanged.

On hearing the sentence Speight broke down and cried, although his lawyer said later he expected the sentence to be commuted to life in prison.

"It is the sentence of this court that you be taken from this court to a prison and then to a place of execution where you will be hanged," said High Court Judge Michael Scott.

"And may the Lord have mercy on you."

Treason currently carries the death penalty in Fiji, but the government said last week it would introduce legislation to replace capital punishment with a sentence of life in prison.

Speight was arrested by the military after leading an armed assault on Fiji's parliament, overthrowing the first Fiji Indian prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, while claiming the rights of indigenous Fijians were being ignored.

Fiji Indians make up 44 per cent of the population of Fiji, but have made little political progress in the 100 years since their descendants were transported from India to cut sugar for the British.

Speight demanded Fiji Indians be banned from politics and called for eradication of the sugar fields in favour of traditional indigenous pursuits, such as cattle and dairy farming.

Authorities have held Speight and his group on the island prison of Nukulau for more than a year for security reasons.

Speight's legal team suffered a blow two days ago when one of 3 defence lawyers, New Zealander Michael Keid, withdrew because of a death in the family.

Speight's Australian counsels Jack Flannigan and Ron Cannon, together with local lawyer Kitione Vuetaki, visited their client on Nukulau Island over the weekend for final talks before the trial.

George Speight and 12 others detained in Nukulau were all to appear for their High Court trial today.

The other accused are Jim Speight, IIisoni Ligairi, Timoci Silatolu, Iliesa Duvuloco, Apenisa Rovutiqica, Josefa Savua, Samuela Konataci, Simione Drole, Maciu Vakasuasua, Peceli Vuniwa, Jo Nata and Maciu Soqobuli.

- REUTERS,

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