George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, along with former military officer Shane Stevens, has been granted a presidential pardon, making them officially free. This information was confirmed by Dr. Jalesi Nakarawa, the Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service.
The Mercy Commission convened recently to review petitions for mercy submitted by Speight, Stevens, and five others. Following their discussions, they recommended clemency, which led to President of Fiji granting pardons under Section 119(5) of the Constitution. These pardons were officially given on September 18, 2024.
As a result, Speight, Stevens, and the other five individuals—Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, Adi Livini Radininausori, and John Miller—were released from custody today. However, one of the petitioners, James Sanjesh Goundar, who passed away on September 6 at the Minimum Corrections Center, did not receive his pardon in time.