9 Oct 2008

Bomb threat interrupts Fiji coup court case

12:16 pm on 9 October 2008

A bomb threat in Fiji has prompted the evacuation of the court building in Suva where judges were to announce their ruling on the legality of the 2006 military coup.

The case was heard in March and was brought by Laisenia Qarase who was ousted in the coup.

The acting chief justice ordered the media to leave the court building this morning after being given a note that a bomb threat had been received.

It arrived after he had been outlining the case for about an hour.

Tthere is no indication who made the threat or what the likely verdict will be.

The case was filed after Commodore Bainimarama declared himself president in December 2006 and appointed Dr Jona Senilagakali as interim prime minister.

After the Great Council of Chiefs refused to endorse the coup and confirm the military commander as president, he returned the presidency to Ratu Josefa Iloilo in January of last year and took over the interim prime ministership.

Mr Qarase says the action was unlawful and the interuim regime is illegal.

Last weekend, Commodore Bainimarama said the work done by the interim regime now is not about legality or illegality but about building the nation.