A former Cook Islands cabinet minister has lost an appeal over his conviction on corruption charges, but his sentence has been reduced.
One Cook Islands Party leader Teina Bishop Photo: Phillipa Webb / Cook Islands News
Earlier this year, Teina Bishop was convicted and sentenced to two years and four months jail after being found guilty of corruptly obtaining a bribe while a minister of the crown.
Bishop's trial followed a three-year police investigation into money given to him to help fund a resort he wanted to buy on Aitutaki.
The foreign fishing company Luen Thai, through a subsidiary, had given Bishop a massive loan, and at the same time he had granted 18 fishing licences to another subsidiary, Huanan Fishery, while he was Minister of Marine Resources.
The Court of Appeal met last month and has just issued its decision.
It has rejected the appeal over the conviction but has cut Bishop's prison sentence to six months.
