George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and former military officer Shane Stevens have received a presidential pardon and are now free. This announcement was made by Dr. Jalesi Nakarawa, the Commissioner of the Fiji Corrections Service.
The Mercy Commission convened yesterday to review the mercy petitions submitted by Speight, Stevens, and five other individuals. Following their discussions, the Commission recommended granting pardons, which were approved by the President of Fiji on September 18, 2024, under Section 119(5) of the Constitution.
Consequently, Speight, Stevens, and the other five individuals—Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, Adi Livini Radininausori, and John Miller—were officially released from custody today. Unfortunately, for James Sanjesh Goundar, who died on September 6 at the Minimum Corrections Center, the pardon came too late.