The men conspired to kill armed forces chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 2006. "In late 2007 the state of Fiji was in a very fragile state, and had this plot succeeded, the consequences are unthinkable," said Justice Paul Madigan of Fiji's High Court. "There has been no evidence before this court of any thought given to the fate of the average Fijian should the country be suddenly rid of its president, prime minister and army. The plans of the accused were totally self-serving, thoughtless and greedy." When the defendants were arrested in late 2007, then-New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said the plot allegations appeared to be a pretext to round up opponents of Fiji's military government.