Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner Jalesi Nakarawa stated that there are no legal barriers preventing George Speight from seeking mercy. Speight, a key figure in the 2000 coup, along with former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit leader Shane Stevens, was among seven individuals granted a Presidential Pardon last Thursday.
Speight was charged with treason, to which he pleaded guilty in 2001. His death sentence was converted to life imprisonment in 2002. He has spent 24 years, one month, and 23 days, totaling 8,820 days, incarcerated on Nukulau Island and at the Naboro Corrections Complex, with no prior convictions.
Nakarawa clarified the misconception that Speight had been pardoned twice, explaining that the first instance was a legal redress, not a formal application from Speight. He noted that the death penalty, although still legally existent, was in the process of being abolished by the government at that time.
“The final decision rests with the Mercy Commission,” Nakarawa remarked. He also shared that both Speight and Stevens were emotional upon learning of their pardon, expressing a strong desire to rebuild their lives and start businesses after their lengthy imprisonment.
“They were both happy and emotional, understandably, given the significant time they’ve spent incarcerated. I ask the public to recognize that we are fulfilling our duties to the best of our abilities, processing matters according to the law, even when opinions may vary.”