Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner Jalesi Nakarawa stated that there is no legal barrier preventing George Speight from seeking a mercy application. Speight, a key figure in the 2000 coup, along with former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit leader Shane Stevens, were among seven individuals granted Presidential Pardon last Thursday.
Speight was charged with treason and entered a guilty plea in 2001. His death sentence was reduced to life imprisonment in 2002. He has served 24 years, one month, and 23 days, totaling 8,820 days, in both Nukulau Island and Naboro Corrections Complex, and has no previous criminal record.
Nakarawa addressed the notion that Speight has been pardoned twice, clarifying that the legal context of the first pardon was distinct. He explained that the initial pardon was not a direct application from Speight, but rather a response to a legal technicality as the government was moving to abolish the death penalty, which had not been enforced since the 1960s.
“The final decision remains with the Mercy Commission,” Nakarawa emphasized. He noted that both Speight and Stevens showed deep emotion upon learning of their pardon, expressing their hopes to rebuild their lives and start new businesses, having gained valuable insights during their incarceration.
“They were emotional and happy, especially considering how long they have been imprisoned,” he added. Nakarawa urged the public to understand their commitment to fulfilling their duties within the bounds of the law, despite differing opinions.