Teina Bishop supported by his daughter Tania Bishop outside the High Court in Rarotonga Photo: RNZI/Cook Islands News
The convicted Cook Islands MP, Teina Bishop, says hearing the guilty verdict handed down by a jury two weeks ago was like an electric shock.
Bishop was convicted of corruption.
The trial ended three years of waiting for police to prepare their case involving a deal made by Bishop with a foreign fishing company in his role as minister of marine resources.
Bishop said he had been expecting a not guilty verdict so the court's decision was a shock but he got over it quickly.
He faces a jail term of up to 14 years but any decision to appeal will wait until his sentencing later this month.
In the meantime Bishop plans to be fishing in the waters of his home island of Aitutaki.
If the conviction stands it will end a 17 year long political career and force a by-election in Aitutaki.
