Jope Seniloli, had not been called to give evidence against him. Judge Anthony Gates dismissed the application on 9 August, however, ordering the trial to continue. Also on 9 August, Kaitani filed an unsworn statement in court that he had deliberately remained in the parliamentary complex during the upheaval, not to support the rebels, but to use his skills as a qualified conflict management trainer to calm the situation. "In my professional capacity, I simply could not leave the parliamentary complex and watch it being taken over," he said. "I decided to take the bull by the horn and remain there." He continued to deny having taken an oath or signing an oath. "I did not take an oath of allegiance or sign any documents," he declared, adding that the first he knew of his alleged unconstitutional ministerial appointment was from a newspaper. In her summing up, however, state prosecutor Ashishna Prasad said that in the course of several police interviews, neither Kaitani nor his fellow accused had denied their involvement in the swearing-in ceremony on 20 May 2000. All of them, she said, had been seen to have spent two minutes in a room with Seniloli, who had been appointed President by Speight, after which they gave one another congratulatory handshakes when they left. She rejected Kaitani's defence that he "shook hands with everyone he meets to express the love and affection of God", saying it was a clear indication that he had sworn a ministerial oath. She quoted Kaitani as having told the police, "Yes, it looks like mine" when shown the oath form. She further alleged that Kaitani had insisted on having his name correctly typed on the form where that of Ratu Kinijoji Maivalili, who had declined appointment to the Primary Industries portfolio, had been crossed out. On 12 August 2005, five court assessors unanimously reached a "not guilty" verdict concerning Kaitani and his co-accused. The decision was not binding on Judge Anthony Gates, but he ratified their verdict on 15 August, saying that those who had testified had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Kaitani and his associates were guilty of the charges specified. New Cabinet posting On 20 September 2005, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announced that Kaitani had been relieved of his Transport and Civil Aviation portfolio to make way for Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, the Tui Cakau (Paramount Chief of the Tovata Confederacy)