1 Jul 2004

Two more high profile Fiji leaders may face investigation over coup involvement

9:04 pm on 1 July 2004

The police file on Fiji's high commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, has been sent to the director of public prosecutions.

The file on government senator, Apisai Tora, is also with the state prosecution.

Radio Legend says this has been confirmed by the deputy director of public prosecutions, Peter Ridgeway.

Mr Ridgeway says they have yet to decide whether to lay charges against the two men who were involved in advising the coup front man, George Speight, on what to do immediately after the coup.

Ratu Inoke was opposition leader at the time of the Speight coup and after the 1987 Rabuka coup, he told a local magazine that it had been planned in the Suva office of the South Pacific Bible Society of which he was then secretary.

Mr Tora, who was also part of the 1987 coup, started agitating, leading marches and calling for the overthrow of the Chaudhry government immediately after its election in 1999.

When both men failed to win their seats in the post-coup general election, prime minister Qarase made one the high commissioner to Papua New Guinea, and appointed the other a government senator.

Meanwhile, police are also gathering evidence against a number of people, apart from vice president Seniloli and five others whose trial is under way, for being sworn into Speight's illegal administration.