Francis Kean

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Francis Kean (born 1966) [1] [2] is the Commander of the Fijian Navy. As of 24 January 2007, he is on leave pending trial on murder charges.

Kean, whose brother-in-law, Commodore Frank Bainimarama is the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and Interim Prime Minister, 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. He appeared in Suva Magistrate's Court on 19 January and was remanded in custody at Korovou Prison till 2 February. [3] 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. [4] He also refused a request for Kean to be detained at a Military barracks. [5] 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. [6] [7]

Kean's second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander James Fisher, was named on 22 January to act in his stead. [8] Kean, meanwhile, remained on full pay, Military spokesman Major Neumi Leweni revealed on 23 January. [9] [10]

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 [11]) and the surrender of his passport. [12] He is not to interfere with prosecution witnesses, must be on good behaviour, and must inform the State if he changes his home address. In addition, he was banned from international travel and was required to surrender his passport. Every Wednesday and Friday, he is to report to the Nabua Police Station, and must observe a curfew from 9pm to 7am, and is banned from visiting the Military camp. If the bail conditions were breached, Kean would be imprisoned, Winter told him.

On 2 February, Kean again appeared in court. The case was adjourned till 14 February, with the next hearing before Magistrate Aminiasi Katonivualiku, [13] after state lawyer Wilisoni Kurisaqila asked for more time to prepare full disclosures. [14]