Court seeks accord in 2000 coup case
Friday August 24, 2007

Certain members of the Chaudhry Government deposed in the 2000 coup have until the end of the month to reach an out of court agreement over their compensation claim.

The former parliamentarians have named the Fiji Military Forces, Commissioner of Police, Attorney General, 2000 coup front men George Speight and Timoci Silatolu in their lawsuit.

The lawyers in the case were told yesterday by High Court judge Justice Gerard Winter that the matter will proceed to trial and a hearing date set on August 31 if there is no settlement by then.

There are indications that some of the plaintiffs are willing to settle their grievances with the defendants, but not the coup perpetrators.

There is no amount yet set for the compensation, which the plaintiffs are claiming for their overthrow 12 months after their election and their being held hostage for 56 days thereafter.