The Fiji Supreme Court has upheld a Court of Appeal decision in favour of insurers Lloyds of London not to pay a local retail giant millions of dollars in damages for losses incurred when its Suva store was looted during the coup on May 19th, 2000.
Fiji TV reports that the High Court had initially ruled in favour of Tappoos, which claimed over US$2.1 million in losses from the looting.
But the Appeals Court overturned this decision; saying the insurance policy excluded paying out claims for damages resulting from civil unrest.
The decision has been upheld by the Supreme Court.
Tappoos' lawyers had argued the looting of its Suva store had nothing to do with the takeover of parliament, but was a random act.
The Court of Appeal ruled that it found no practical distinction between the two events.
