George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, along with former military officer Shane Stevens, has been granted a presidential pardon and is now a free man. This confirmation came from Dr. Jalesi Nakarawa, the Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service.
The Fiji Mercy Commission reviewed the petitions for mercy submitted by Speight, Stevens, and five others during a meeting held yesterday. After deliberations, the Commission made recommendations for mercy, which were subsequently approved by the President of Fiji under Section 119(5) of the Constitution. The pardons were officially granted on September 18, 2024.
As a result, Speight, Stevens, and the five others—Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, Adi Livini Radininausori, and John Miller—were formally discharged from custody today. However, the pardon for James Sanjesh Goundar, who passed away on September 6 while in custody, unfortunately came too late.