George Speight and Others Receive Controversial Presidential Pardons

George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, has been granted a Presidential Pardon by the Mercy Commission. During a meeting held yesterday, the Commission reviewed mercy petitions submitted by Speight along with six other prisoners, including Shane Stevens, the leader of Counter Revolutionary Warfare (CRW). Both Speight and Stevens were serving life sentences for treason and mutiny, respectively. The other individuals granted mercy include Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, James Sanjesh Goundar, Adi Livini Radininausori, and John Miller. Following the Commission’s recommendations, the President of Fiji granted pardons to all petitioners as per Section 119(5) of the Constitution. These pardons were officially issued yesterday, leading to the release of the individuals from custody today. Unfortunately, James Sanjesh Goundar, who passed away on September 6 at the Minimum Corrections Center, did not benefit from the pardon in time.