Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has dismissed claims of political interference concerning the pardoning of George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRW) leader Shane Stevens. This inquiry was prompted by supporters of his political party who called for their release during the People’s Alliance campaign meetings before the 2022 General Election, with the latest discussion occurring on September 13.
Speight and Stevens were among seven individuals who received Presidential Pardons last Thursday. Speight was convicted of treason in 2002 after pleading guilty, and his initial death sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
In a media briefing yesterday, Mr. Rabuka emphasized that the Mercy Commission operates independently and that the decision to pardon the two men was made through proper channels.
“The People’s Alliance stated that the 2013 Constitution and its various mechanisms would function without government interference. One of these mechanisms is the authority of the Mercy Commission, which operates independently of any governmental influence,” Mr. Rabuka explained.
“It is the prerogative of the Mercy Commission,” he reiterated, adding, “This has nothing to do with anyone in government or politics.”