Pacific

Fiji chief identifies alleged planners of November 2000 mutiny

09:31 am on 18 January 2003

A Fiji newspaper has published extraordinary revelations about the November 2000 mutiny which claimed eight lives.

The Fiji Sun quotes a Naitasiri chief, Ratu Loco Qiolevu, as saying that police have been given evidence that those behind the mutiny were a former army commander, a high chief and an army warrant officer.

Ratu Loco is quoted as saying the plot was to remove the army commander, Rear Admiral Frank Bainimarama, so the former commander could take over and become prime minister with the high chief becoming the new president.

Ratu Loco says the plot failed only because the mutineers were not able to assassinate the army commander.

He says the names of the three are already with the police but no one has come forward to name them as the instigators of the mutiny.