Fiji High Court judge Paul Madigan said he was convinced New Zealander Ballu Khan was the main conspirator behind the plot to kill interim Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama.
Madigan made the statement while sentencing the eight men accused of planning to kill Bainimarama in a packed courtroom this afternoon (March 5).
Mr Justice Madigan said Ballu Khan’s business interests in Fiji waned after the military takeover in December 2006, and that Khan was eager to restore “his fortunes to their former felicitous state”.
He said the idea of weakening the military, “removing” Bainimarama and the President, and ridding the country of Indo-Fijians had both sinister and racial intentions.
He also said that a sentence for a conspiracy charge could not favour or disfavour any particular conspirator, and that “they were in it together and will be punished together.”
Justice Madigan then made adjustments to the sentences to reflect the roles each one played in the alleged plot.
He defined high chief Ratu Inoke Takiveikata and Sivaniolo Naulago as the “ringleaders” and gave them seven years each.
Barbado Mills (6.5 years) and Feoko Gadekibau (5.5 years) were regarded as “organizers” – while Kaminieli Vosavere (4 years), Eparama Waqatakirewa and Pauliasi Namulo (both 3 years) were the “footsoldiers”.