It is the sentence of this court that you be taken from this court to a prison and then to a place of execution where you will be hanged

High Court Judge Michael Scott

Speight was sentenced to death by hanging by the trial judge but the country's President, Josefa Iloilo, signed a decree commuting the sentence.

Earlier Speight broke down and wept when the judge condemned him after a hearing lasting little more than an hour.

Fiji is in the process of abolishing the death penalty. Correspondents say people sentenced to life in prison in Fiji usually spend about 10 years behind bars.

Speight, a charismatic former businessman, led an armed gang of nationalists who stormed Fiji's parliament in May 2000 and held the country's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, hostage for 56 days.

'Defending rights'

Through his lawyer, Speight said he wanted "to exercise his right to plead guilty at the first opportunity" as his trial opened on Monday morning.

Speight was upbeat when he arrived at court - but the hearing was brief

"This will be recognised as our contribution to the stability of this country and reconciliation," said Speight's lawyer when he announced the guilty plea.

Speight, who was being tried with 12 co-defendants, had always insisted his actions were carried out to defend indigenous rights, which he claimed were being undermined by Mr Chaudhry's administration.

But no evidence was apparently heard before the judge accepted Speight's plea and passed judgement.

"It is the sentence of this court that you be taken from this court to a prison and then to a place of execution where you will be hanged," said High Court Judge Michael Scott.

"And may the Lord have mercy on you."

Ten of Speight's co-defendants later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of keeping abducted prisoners in confinement - which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

The other two still face treason charges.

Divisions

The eight weeks of the coup left a deep scar across the country.

Mr Chaudhry was Fiji's first ethnic Indian PM

Racial divisions intensified between the indigenous majority and the powerful, ethnic Indian community, whose ancestors were brought to the islands to work on colonial sugar plantations by the British more than 100 years ago.

Unemployment and poverty have also increased and Fiji's political system has been thrown into chaos.

The hostage crisis of two years ago was brought to an end by a deal brokered by the military, which took control of the country during the stand-off.

Amnesty cancelled

It guaranteed Speight immunity from prosecution. But the agreement was later scrapped, and the former rebel leader was arrested and charged with treason.

Speight's group was initially granted immunity against prosecution by the military

Senior army commanders accused him of breaching the conditions of the amnesty deal by failing to hand over weapons stolen from the military and used in the uprising.

Speight and his group have been held on Nukukau island, a former colonial quarantine station for indentured labourers brought in from India.

During his time in custody Speight won a seat in parliament in the first election since the coup. He was later expelled for failing to attend.