Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner Jalesi Nakarawa stated that there are no legal restrictions preventing George Speight from seeking a mercy application. Speight, who was 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 convicted of treason in 2001 after pleading guilty. His initial death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment the following year. He has spent 24 years, one month, and 23 days in prison, amounting to 8,820 days, at both Nukulau Island and the Naboro Corrections Complex. He had no prior convictions before this.
“There is a misconception that Speight has been pardoned twice,” Nakarawa explained, noting that the first pardon was a legal redress rather than a formal application. He added that at the time, no one had been sentenced to death for decades, but the death penalty remained on the books while the government was in the process of abolishing it.
Nakarawa affirmed that the matter ultimately rests with the Mercy Commission. He noted that both Speight and Stevens were emotional upon receiving news of their pardon, expressing a desire to rebuild their lives and explore business opportunities based on what they learned during their time in prison. He acknowledged the long duration of their incarceration and urged the public to understand that the corrections service is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities within the framework of the law.