Suva, Fij: Former Fiji prime minister Frank Bainimarama was sentenced Thursday to one year in prison for perverting the course of justice, with a judge finding he had failed to live up to the lofty responsibilities of his office.
Bainimarama was sentenced at Fiji's High Court in the capital Suva, after he was found guilty of quashing a police probe into alleged corruption at a Fijian university while leading the country.
The former military commander seized power in a bloodless coup in 2006 and remains a popular figure in the South Pacific nation.
There was a heavy police presence as supporters gathered outside the hearing.
Bainimarama's wife Maria sobbed inside as acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo read the sentence.
Bainimarama's former police chief and top ally Sitiveni Qiliho was found guilty of abuse of office in the same case.
Qiliho was sentenced to two years in prison.
The pair were handcuffed before being escorted out of court and into a waiting police van.