Sydney - Mr George Speight, the indigenous Fijian coup leader who held his ethnic Indian prime minister hostage at gunpoint for 56 days last year, appeared in a Suva court yesterday charged with treason.
Heavy security surrounded the committal hearing to decide whether Mr Speight and 12 associates should stand trial for kidnapping Mr Mahendra Chaudhry and his cabinet in May, 2000. Mr Speight's lawyer did not deny the former businessman's role in the coup, but argued that a deal backed by the military and indigenous chiefs guaranteed Mr Speight immunity from prosecution.