George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and former military officer Shane Stevens have received presidential pardons and are now free. This information was confirmed by Dr. Jalesi Nakarawa, the Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service.
During a recent meeting, the Mercy Commission reviewed petitions for mercy from Speight, Stevens, and five others. After careful consideration, the Commission made recommendations for mercy, which were approved by the President of Fiji under Section 119(5) of the Constitution. The formal pardons were issued on September 18, 2024.
Consequently, Speight, Stevens, and the other five individuals, Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, Adi Livini Radininausori, and John Miller, were officially released from custody. It is noted, however, that James Sanjesh Goundar, who passed away on September 6 while at the Minimum Corrections Center, did not benefit from the pardon in time.