Fiji's High Court sentenced rebel leader George Speight to death for treason today, but President Mr Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda commuted his sentence to life imprisonment, a local newspaper reported.
|
|
George Speight had
death sentence commuted |
The Fiji
Daily Post
quoted Attorney General Mr Qoriniasi Bale as announcing the president's decision to commute Speight's sentence to life in prison.
Under the Fijian Constitution, those sentenced to death may ask the president for clemency, a move that leads to the establishment of a three-person Mercy Commission, which then advises the president.
Speight, who had pleaded guilty, led a coup against the government of then prime minister Mr Mahendra Chaudhry in May 2000 and held its ministers hostage for two months.
Speight and his armed nationalists stormed parliament on May 19th, 2000, claiming ethnic Indians were undermining the rights of indigenous Fijians. Mr Chaudhry, who was the first ethnic Indian Fijian elected as prime minister, was ousted in the coup.
"I'm guilty, your worship," Speight said when asked if he understood the charge of treason and the penalty which is death, Australian Broadcasting Corp.(ABC) reported.
Justice Michael Scott, presiding, then put on his black cap and sentenced Speight to death by hanging. On hearing the sentence, Speight reportedly broke down and cried. His lawyer later said he expected the sentence to be commuted to life in prison, ABCreported.
Ten of Speight's co-conspirators pleaded guilty to a significantly lesser charge, according to ABC. They were accused of keeping abducted prisoners in confinement, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
Two other men are still to face charges of treason for the coup.
AP