Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has denied accusations of political interference regarding the pardons granted to George Speight, who led the coup in 2000, and Shane Stevens, a former leader of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRW).
This inquiry follows the public calls from supporters of Rabuka’s political party for the release of both individuals during campaign events for the People’s Alliance prior to the 2022 General Election, with the latest discussion occurring on September 13.
Speight and Stevens were among seven individuals granted Presidential Pardons last Thursday. Speight was charged with treason and had pleaded guilty in 2002, after which his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
In a media statement yesterday, Rabuka emphasized that the Mercy Commission operates independently, asserting that the decision to pardon the two men was solely within the commission’s authority and followed due process.
“The People’s Alliance has stated that the 2013 Constitution and its mechanisms will function without interference, including the prerogative of the Mercy Commission, which operates independently of any government influence,” Rabuka remarked. He reiterated that the actions taken by the Mercy Commission were not connected to any political agendas or government officials.