Inoke Takiveikata

Ratu Inoke Takiveikata (born 1949) is a Fijian high chief and politician. Since 1997 he has held the title of Qaranivalu, a senior chiefly title in Naitasiri Province. He served in the interim Cabinet of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase as Minister for Regional Development and Multi-ethnic Affairs, in 2000 and 2001, when he was appointed to the Senate and sworn in on 14 September. Despite having been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment on 23 November 2004 for his role in the aftermath of the Fiji coup of 2000, he remained a Senator until 17 October 2005, when Senate President Taito Waqavakatoga declared his seat vacant. Prime Minister Qarase subsequently nominated Adi Lagamu Vuiyasawa, who was later revealed to be Takiveikata's de facto wife, to succeed him, in a move described as "unethical" by Fiji Labour Party parliamentarian Poseci Bune, who said this showed that the Prime Minister was captive to Takiveikata's power within the ruling United Fiji Party (SDL).

Mutiny conviction

The conviction related to a mutiny at Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks that took place on 2 November 2000. Captain Shane Stevens had seized various buildings, including the armoury, and had attempted to arrest the Commodore Frank Bainimarama, commander of the Fijian military. In the battle that followed, four soldiers were killed. After being captured, four mutineers were subsequently beaten to death. Stevens was later to testify that Takiveikata had visited the barracks and given both moral and practical support, by supplying cellphones and other equipment to the mutineers.

Justice Anthony Gates found Takiveikata guilty on three counts of inciting mutiny and one count of aiding soldiers in an act of mutiny. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on the first three counts, and eighteen months on the fourth; the sentences were to be served concurrently.

Previously, former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had accused Takiveikata of once having been deported from Australia as an illegal immigrant.

Lawyer Iqbal Khan announced on 30 August 2005 that he had filed an application on behalf of Takiveikata and Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure, who was also convicted of coup-related offenses, to have their convictions quashed. Khan claimed that the two had been denied a fair trial according to Section 29 of the Constitution of Fiji, as the trial assessors had been handpicked and therefore possibly biased. Khan duly filed the application on 17 October.

On 25 June 2007 Ratu Inoke Takiveikata's conviction was quashed by the Fiji Court of Appeal. He was released from jail but is due to be re-tried on the same charges at a later date.

Political controversies

On 28 June 2005, Poseci Bune, the Deputy Leader of the Fiji Labour Party, along with the party's eight representatives in the Senate, angrily denied rumours published in a newspaper that one of their Senators had visited Takiveikata and promised that a future Labour government would free him if he resigned from the United Fiji Party. Bune called the report "gutter-level journalism", pointing out that the article provided no names and quoted anonymous sources. "It is an obvious artifice," Bune said.

On 12 October 2005, parliamentary secretary Mary Chapman announced that Takiveikata's senatorial salary had been discontinued from 1 October, following his decision not to appeal his conviction. In declaring the seat vacant on 17 October, Senator Waqavakatoga said that to terminate Takiveikata's salary or his Senate membership before he had announced a decision on whether or not to appeal would have been improper.

Parliamentary Secretary Mary Chapman confirmed on 20 October 2005 that having served as a Senator for four years, Takiveikata was entitled to a pension.

Chiefly title in doubt

On 18 October 2005, Sauturaga Autiko Druma called on Takiveikata to relinquish his chiefly title. The Suturaga said that as Takiveikata was serving a life sentence, he would be unable to carry out his chiefly duties and should resign his title. He could not be forced to do so, however, Druma said.

Personal life

Takiveikata is divorced from Vilisi.