28 Jul 2004

Seniloli treason trial in Fiji again delayed

3:27 pm on 28 July 2004

The treason trial of Fiji vice president Seniloli and five others has again been adjourned because of sickness.

The trial had earlier been delayed by a week because of the illness of defence lawyer Serupepeli Nagase.

Radio Fiji reports that today's adjournment was forced by the illness of another lawyer, Abhay Singh, whose earlier application for a delay in the trial so he could prepare the defence had been rejected.

Also sick are two of the accused, Peceli Rinakama and Viliame Savu.

Lawyers for the accused were supposed to have started their defence today after Justice Nazhat Shameem ruled yesterday that the defendants had a case to answer at the end of the prosecution's evidence.

The trial is now scheduled to resume on Friday.