11 Dec 2006

Fiji court acquits Rabuka in mutiny case

5:32 pm on 11 December 2006

A judge has found a former Fiji prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, not guilty of two charges of inciting a 2000 mutiny.

The judge made the ruling after a panel of assessors delivered a split verdict.

The prosecution alleged that Mr Rabuka incited former senior army officer Lt Col Viliame Seruvakula to overthrow army commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama in July 2000 and again in November of the same year.

Last month, a trial on the same charges was abandoned.