20 Sep 2010

Fiji high chief back in court tomorrow on mutiny charge

7:39 pm on 20 September 2010

The fresh trial in Fiji for the man charged with inciting the 2000 mutiny which aimed to kill the military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama has been rescheduled for tomorrow morning.

Naitisiri High Chief, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata was granted time to find a suitable legal counsel to represent him, and last Friday the judge declare a mistrial because of one assessor's links to the military .

A spokesperson at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions says Takiveikata's trial is only scheduled for a four week period.

But he says with the unexpected delays it's now hoped certain facts of the case can be agreed to speed up proceedings.

Takiveikata had been given a life sentence for the mutiny but in early 2007 the appeal court quashed the ruling and he was released from prison after serving 31 months.

Last March, Takiveikata was jailed again when he was given a seven year prison sentence for plotting to kill Commodore Bainimarama in late 2007.