Naitasiri High Chief, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata is now in Nasinu Prison and will remain in prison until 2019 after he was sentenced to life imprisonment by High Court Judge, Justice Daniel Gounder yesterday after he was convicted of inciting the 2000 mutiny at Queen Elizabeth Barracks.

Justice Gounder has stressed in his sentence that Ratu Inoke is not eligible for parole for a period of eight years and he should not be released until March 2019.

Meanwhile, the judge had raised serious concerns regarding the evidence given by Shane Stevens during the trial.

Justice Gounder said that Stevens who is serving a life sentence for mutiny was obstructive and was in contempt of court while giving evidence.

He said Stevens willfully refused to answer questions by the state counsel even after a direction from the Judge asking him to answer the questions.

Justice Gounder said Stevens responded to the questions by saying he could not recall even after his memory was refreshed from his written statement.

Judge Gounder said that observing Stevens demeanor in court, Stevens expressed anger towards the institution of justice and has shown absolutely no remorse for what he had done.

He said Stevens conduct leads him to conclude that Stevens refused to accept responsibility for his crime.

The judge has ordered that his ruling in the Ratu Inoke Takiveikata trial and his concerns over Stevens demeanor be handed over to the Commissioner of Prisons for consideration when and if Stevens applies for parole or pardon in the future.
 
Ratu Inoke will serve the life sentence concurrently with the current 7 year term for the charge of conspiracy to assassinate the Commander and others.

When he took the witness stand last week, Former military officer, Captain Shane Stevens kept telling DPP lawyer, Pita Bulamainaivalu that he can’t recall anything in relation to the plans to conduct a mutiny at QEB in November 2000, in the Takeiveikata trial.

Despite repeated questions by Bulamainaivalu, Stevens maintained that he cannot reveal the agenda of the meetings.

Even when his statements were shown to him in open court and after reading his own statements saying that he met with Takiveikata and others at his home in Namadi Heights and Nausori about the change in the interim government and Army Commander in 2000, Stevens either said he cannot answer the question or he can=t recall anything.

Stevens maintained this stance even when directed by Justice Gounder to answer the question on what was the agenda of the meeting at Namadi Heights.