FORMER Fijian military strongman is in custody tonight, facing charges of inciting troops to overthrow a newly elected government in 2022.
Also in custody is former Police Commissioner, Brigadier Sitiveni Qiliho, widely seen as responsible for crushing Bainimarama’s opponents between 2006 and 2022.
It is understood that the men were questioned about attempts to influence the army to intervene when Bainimarama did not have a mandate to form a government after the 2022 poll.
Bainimarama and Qiliho were picked up from their homes around 1 pm and taken for questioning at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters in the capital, Suva.
Earlier in the day, Bainimarama had attended Ash Wednesday mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
Authorities remain tight-lipped about the arrests, and lawyers for the two men referred questions to police.
It appears that the men will front court tomorrow.
Bainimarama led a coup against Laisenia Qarase in December 2006 and maintained a stronghold over the country until 2022, using censorship, brutal military tactics, arbitrary arrests, and corruption claims to silence critics.
He and Qiliho have since been convicted in previous trials of corruption.
They will spend the night in holding cells at the Central Police Station.