Peceli Rinakama is a former politician in Fiji. He served as a member of the Parliament of Fiji from 1999 to 2001.

2000 coup and aftermath

Rinakama was elected to Parliament in the 1999 election, representing the constituency of Naitasiri for the Fijian Association Party. During the 2000 Fijian coup d'état, he joined the Cabinet of George Speight. As a result, he was refused entry to New Zealand in 2003 due to his involvement in the coup.[1] Following the coup, he switched his allegiance to the Conservative Alliance, but failed to win re-election in the 2001 election.

In 2003, he alleged that the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) party was behind the 2000 coup, and that it had plotted to overthrow the government of Mahendra Chaudhry even before it took office.[2] Shortly afterwards he was charged with taking an unlawful oath for purporting to join Speight's Cabinet,[3] and in 2004 he was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment.[4] He was granted early release for good behaviour in December 2005, having served half his sentence.[5]

In 2005 it was alleged that Rinakama had benefitted from a US$13 million fraud in the agriculture ministry in 2001.[6]

In November 2007, Rinakama was one of ten people arrested and charged with conspiring to assassinate Fijian dictator Frank Bainimarama.[7] All charges against him were withdrawn in December of that year.[8]

On 5 March 2010 Rinakama was abducted by soldiers from a house in Suva. He has not been seen since, and there are fears he has been disappeared.[9][10] On 11 March 2010, the Fijian government admitted that Rinakama was in custody, though they would not say where or what for.[11] On 12 March, they claimed he had been released.[12]

Rinakama ran as a candidate for SODELPA at the 2018 Fijian general election. During the campaign he praised the 1987 coup.[13] He ran as a People's Alliance candidate at the 2022 election,[14] winning 1007 votes.[15]

References

  1. ^ "New Zealand government denies Fiji Senator entry to New Zealand". Radio New Zealand International. 2003-03-03. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  2. ^ "Former Fiji MP says SVT Party was behind the overthrow of the Chaudhry government". Radio New Zealand International. 2003-03-10. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  3. ^ "Fiji vice president faces coup related charges". Radio New Zealand International. 2003-05-08. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  4. ^ "Fiji vice-president Seniloli jailed". Radio New Zealand International. 2004-08-06. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  5. ^ "Fiji pair convicted for usurping government in 2000 freed from jail". Radio New Zealand International. 2006-12-16. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  6. ^ "Fiji agriculture ministry scam helped prominent locals". Radio New Zealand International. 2005-09-21. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  7. ^ "10 people charged over alleged Fiji assassination plot". Radio New Zealand International. 2007-11-06. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  8. ^ "Rinakama a free man". Fiji Times. 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  9. ^ "No trace of Fiji politician Rinakama seized by military". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  10. ^ "Army detains Rinakama". Coup 4.5. 2010-03-09. Retrieved 2010-03-10.
  11. ^ "Fiji police say missing politician Rinakama is in custody". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-03-11. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  12. ^ "Fiji police say Rinakama free after five days in custody". Radio New Zealand International. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  13. ^ "Rinakama: 1987 Rabuka Coup Was Good For Fiji". Fiji Sun. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  14. ^ "Former Coup Supporter Joins Rabuka". Fiji Sun. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  15. ^ "2022 Official General Election Results" (PDF). Fijian Elections Office. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peceli_Rinakama
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