Francis Kean
Encyclopedia
Francis Kean was the Commander of the Fiji
an Navy when, in 2006, he was charged with murder
. He was convicted of manslaughter the following year.
Kean, whose brother-in-law, Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
, is the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
and was Interim Prime Minister
at the time of these events, was arrested on 6 January 2006 and charged with the murder of salesman John Whippy at the Royal Suva Yacht Club, after a wedding reception for Whippy's nephew Samuel Whippy and his bride, Ateca Bainimarama, the Prime Minister's daughter, on 31 December 2006, the Fiji Sun
reported. Kean had punched and kicked John Whippy following the latter's drunken insults against him. The attack resulted in Whippy's death.
He appeared in Suva
Magistrate's Court on 19 January and was remanded in custody at Korovou Prison till 2 February. Magistrate John Semesi refused a request from Kean's lawyer, Abhay Singh, for bail
, after Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions
Raymond Gibson said that Kean would be in a position to interfere with witnesses. He also refused a request for Kean to be detained at a military barracks. Lawyer Singh had claimed that Kean's life could be endangered if he were to be detained at Korovou, as Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit
soldiers, whom Kean had helped prosecute for an army mutiny in 2000, were imprisoned there.
Kean's second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander
James Fisher, was named on 22 January to act in his stead. Kean, meanwhile, remained on full pay, military spokesman Major
Neumi Leweni
revealed on 23 January.
On 25 January, Justice Gerald Winter granted bail to Kean in the Suva
High Court
. In granting bail over the objections of the investigating officer, Inspector Alelia Volau (who had claimed in his affidavits that there was a considerable possibility that Kean would abscond if bailed), Winter imposed strict conditions, including the payment of F$1000
in surety (which two of his relatives paid) and the surrender of his passport. In addition, he was not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, had to be on good behaviour, and had to inform the State if he changed his home address. He had to report is to report to the Nabua
Police Station each Wednesday and Friday, and a 9pm - 7am curfew
was imposed on him. He was also banned from visiting the military camp. Breach of the bail conditions would lead to imprisonment.
On 2 February Kean again appeared in court. The case was adjourned until 14 February, to be heard by Magistrate Aminiasi Katonivualiku, after state lawyer Wilisoni Kurisaqila asked for more time to prepare full disclosures.
In October 2007 he was sentenced to eighteen months in gaol for manslaughter, after pleading guilty.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
an Navy when, in 2006, he was charged with murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
. He was convicted of manslaughter the following year.
Kean, whose brother-in-law, Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, is the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
and was Interim Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Fiji
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji is the head of government of Fiji. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution....
at the time of these events, was arrested on 6 January 2006 and charged with the murder of salesman John Whippy at the Royal Suva Yacht Club, after a wedding reception for Whippy's nephew Samuel Whippy and his bride, Ateca Bainimarama, the Prime Minister's daughter, on 31 December 2006, the Fiji Sun
Fiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
reported. Kean had punched and kicked John Whippy following the latter's drunken insults against him. The attack resulted in Whippy's death.
He appeared in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
Magistrate's Court on 19 January and was remanded in custody at Korovou Prison till 2 February. Magistrate John Semesi refused a request from Kean's lawyer, Abhay Singh, for bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
, after Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions (Fiji)
The Director of Public Prosecutions was created under the Fiji Independence Act of 1970 and came into being that year. In 1990 and subsequently in 1997, the powers of the Office of the DPP were provided for in the Fiji Constitution, an entrenched document and the supreme law of the nation...
Raymond Gibson said that Kean would be in a position to interfere with witnesses. He also refused a request for Kean to be detained at a military barracks. Lawyer Singh had claimed that Kean's life could be endangered if he were to be detained at Korovou, as Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit
Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (Fiji)
The Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit or CRWU was the common name for the First Meridian Squadron, the unit's formal name, which had been disbanded in 2000...
soldiers, whom Kean had helped prosecute for an army mutiny in 2000, were imprisoned there.
Kean's second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
James Fisher, was named on 22 January to act in his stead. Kean, meanwhile, remained on full pay, military spokesman Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Neumi Leweni
Neumi Leweni
Neumi Leweni is a Fijian Army officer and diplomat, who holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He hails from the Lau Islands. He joined the Military in 1974 and by 2006 was one of two official spokesmen for the Military, the other being Lieutenant Colonel Orisi Rabukawaqa. In August 2007, he...
revealed on 23 January.
On 25 January, Justice Gerald Winter granted bail to Kean in the Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
High Court
High Court (Fiji)
The High Court of Fiji is one of three courts established by Chapter 9 of the Constitution of Fiji—the others being the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. The Constitution empowers Parliament to create other courts; these are subordinate to the High Court, which is authorized to oversee all...
. In granting bail over the objections of the investigating officer, Inspector Alelia Volau (who had claimed in his affidavits that there was a considerable possibility that Kean would abscond if bailed), Winter imposed strict conditions, including the payment of F$1000
Fijian dollar
The dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969 and was also the currency between 1867 and 1873. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
in surety (which two of his relatives paid) and the surrender of his passport. In addition, he was not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, had to be on good behaviour, and had to inform the State if he changed his home address. He had to report is to report to the Nabua
Nabua
Nabua is a suburb of the Fijian capital of Suva. The Queen Elizabeth Barracks, a major military base which saw a mutiny on 2 November 2000, is located there....
Police Station each Wednesday and Friday, and a 9pm - 7am curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
was imposed on him. He was also banned from visiting the military camp. Breach of the bail conditions would lead to imprisonment.
On 2 February Kean again appeared in court. The case was adjourned until 14 February, to be heard by Magistrate Aminiasi Katonivualiku, after state lawyer Wilisoni Kurisaqila asked for more time to prepare full disclosures.
In October 2007 he was sentenced to eighteen months in gaol for manslaughter, after pleading guilty.