The Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service, Jalesi Nakarawa, stated that there are no legal barriers preventing George Speight from seeking a pardon. Speight, who was a central figure in the 2000 coup, along with former leader of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, Shane Stevens, was among seven individuals granted a Presidential Pardon last Thursday.
Speight was charged with treason in 2001 and entered a guilty plea. His death sentence was reduced to life in prison in 2002. He has served a total of 24 years, one month, and 23 days—equating to 8,820 days—across Nukulau Island and the Naboro Corrections Complex, with no prior convictions.
Nakarawa emphasized that discussions about Speight receiving two pardons are misleading. He clarified that the circumstances of the initial pardon differed significantly, as it was initiated through legal redress rather than a formal application from Speight himself. The death penalty, although officially still in place, was being abolished by the government at the time, creating a legal loophole that led to the court’s decision.
“The final decision lies with the Mercy Commission,” Nakarawa noted, explaining the process involved in considering pardons. He recounted that both Speight and Stevens were emotional upon receiving the news of their pardon, expressing a strong desire to rebuild their lives and start new businesses, drawing from the lessons they learned during their imprisonment.
Nakarawa urged the public to understand that the corrections service is fulfilling its responsibilities under the law while acknowledging that opinions on this matter may vary.