Francis Kean

Francis Frederick Kean (born 1966 or 1967 (age 56–57) )[1] is a former Fijian military officer, public servant, sports administrator, and convicted killer. In 2007, when he was serving as Commander of the Republic of Fiji Navy he was charged with murder. He was ultimately convicted of manslaughter, but served only six months of an 18 month sentence. Kean is the brother-in-law of former Fijian dictator Frank Bainimarama.

Murder charge

Kean was arrested on 6 January 2007 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. Kean had punched and kicked John Whippy following the latter's drunken insults against him.[2] The attack resulted in Whippy's death.[3]

On 19 January 2007 he was charged with murder and remanded in custody at Korovou Prison.[4][5] Kean's second-in-command, Lieutenant Commander James Fisher, was named on 22 January to act in his stead.[6] On 25 January 2007 he was granted bail.[7] In a subsequent court appearance on 30 March 2007 he pleaded not guilty to murder.[8] In October 2007 the judge presiding over the case, Gerard Winter, accused police commissioner Esala Teleni of attempting to pervert the course of justice by attempting to interfere in the case.[9]

On 18 October 2007 Kean plead guilty to a charge of manslaughter and was convicted.[10] He was subsequently sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.[3] Despite his conviction he retained his position as navy commander and continued on full pay.[11] He was released from prison after serving six months of his sentence.[12]

Post-conviction

In January 2009 Kean was reappointed as navy commander.[12] Bainimarama denied that the appointment was nepotism.[13]

In August 2011 he was appointed as acting permanent secretary of public works by the military regime.[14][15]

In 2015 he was appointed chair of the Fiji Rugby Union.[16] In April 2020 he was nominated to the board of World Rugby.[16][17] He withdrew his nomination shortly afterwards following allegations of homophobia.[18][19] He stood down as FRU chair in July 2020.[20]

In March 2016 he was appointed corrections commissioner.[21] As corrections commissioner, he publicly advocated corporal punishment for violent crimes.[22] In 2020 four prison officers accused Kean of routinely ordering the beating and mistreatment of prisoners.[23] In July 2020 Kean was criticised for allowing a convicted rapist leave from prison to train and play with a rugby club he headed.[24]

On 27 January 2023 the Constitutional Offices Commission suspended him from his position as corrections commissioner.[25] On 3 march 2023 he resigned as Corrections Commissioner.[26]

Notes
  1. "Navy chief faces murder charge, in custody". The Fiji Times. 20 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  2. "Military mum on top job". The Fiji Times. 21 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  3. "Former Fiji navy commander Kean jailed for 18 months for manslaughter". RNZ. 26 October 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  4. "Fiji's navy commander charged with murder". RNZ. 19 January 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  5. "Navy Commander on murder charge". The Fiji Times. 19 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  6. "Fisher to act as Navy commander". The Fiji Times. 22 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  7. "Court bails navy chief". The Fiji Times. 26 January 2007. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  8. "Fiji navy commander Kean pleads not guilty to murder". RNZ. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  9. "Fiji judge says police commissioner may have attempted to pervert course of justice". RNZ. 10 October 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  10. "Former Fiji navy commander Kean pleads guilty to manslaughter". RNZ. 18 October 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  11. "Convicted Fiji naval head keeps job pending appeal for manslaughter sentence". RNZ. 31 October 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  12. "More criticism of reappointment of Fiji's navy commander". RNZ. 19 January 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  13. "Fiji's interim PM says Kean was not appointed because he is his brother-inlaw". RNZ. 28 January 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  14. "Fiji regime appoints military officers to two more public service top jobs". RNZ. 17 August 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  15. Michael Field (18 August 2011). "Convicted killer takes top Fiji job". Stuff. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  16. "Fijian's murky past masks World Rugby's balance of power rumblings". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  17. "Kean Nominated". Fiji Sun. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  18. "World Rugby investigating Fiji chairman over homophobia allegations". RNZ. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  19. "Sport: Fiji's Kean steps down during World Rugby investigation". RNZ. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  20. "Fiji Rugby chair Francis Kean to stand down". RNZ. 23 July 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  21. "Qiliho appointed Fiji police commissioner". RNZ. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  22. "Call to reconsider corporal punishment in Fiji". RNZ. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  23. "'Take him down': ex-officers accuse Fiji's prison commissioner of ordering staff to beat inmates". The Guardian. 16 May 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  24. "Outrage in Fiji as rapist trains with rugby club while serving sentence". RNZ. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  25. Naveel Krishant (27 January 2023). "Qiliho and Kean suspended". Fiji Village. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  26. Josefa Babitu (3 March 2023). "Commander Francis Kean Resigns As Corrections Commissioner". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
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