Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has dismissed claims of political interference regarding the pardons of George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit leader Shane Stevens. This comes after members of his political party advocated for their release during campaign meetings for the People’s Alliance leading up to the 2022 General Election, with discussions continuing until September 13.
Speight and Stevens were among seven individuals who received a Presidential Pardon last Thursday. Speight was convicted of treason in 2002 after pleading guilty and had his death sentence later commuted to life imprisonment.
In a media briefing yesterday, Rabuka emphasized that the Mercy Commission operates independently, and the decision to pardon the two men was made solely by the commission following proper procedures.
“The People’s Alliance affirmed that the provisions of the 2013 Constitution, including the Mercy Commission’s prerogatives, function without government influence,” Rabuka stated. “The decision was entirely the domain of the Mercy Commission, with no connections to the government or political motives.”