Fiji: Three coup plotters named by columnist

Issue No: 666 9 April 2001

The Daily Post's Deputy Editor and columnist, Mesake Koroi has named Jim Ah Koy, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and Aid Litia Cakobau as three plotters of the terrorist uprising last year.

Writing in today's Daily Post, Koroi states:

"It is common knowledge that among the first prominent people to meet with George Speight immediately after Parliament was taken over were opposition parliamentarians Jim Ah Koy, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola and Adi Litia Cakobau.. Of course, they were there to try and persuade George to give up the fight. After all these were honourable men."

"Be that as it may, but the most interesting one is how a local businessman offered a senior army officer a bag full of $50 bills to organise a mutiny and kick Commodore Bainimarama out as the military boss man". Koroi states that the army officer was offered the post of the Commander.

It is understood that the financial offer came after the military refused to provide "backup" to the terrorists.

It is also known that the terrorist soldiers who had taken over the Parliament informed the hostages that they were offered $20,000 each for their roles. The money was supposed to have been deposited into their bank accounts after they took over the Parliament. The funds were allegedly to come from a local ethnic Indian businessman. The same businessman was heard saying after a statutory board meeting that it would cost $1m to get rid of the Chaudhry government.

END

© Scoop Media