Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has dismissed claims of political influence in the pardoning of George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit leader Shane Stevens. This response came after supporters of his political party pushed for their release during the People’s Alliance campaign meetings ahead of 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 had been charged with treason and had pleaded guilty in 2002, with his death sentence later commuted to life imprisonment.
In a media statement, Mr. Rabuka emphasized that the Mercy Commission operates independently and that the decision to pardon the two men was made through proper processes. He highlighted that the 2013 Constitution supports the operation of the Mercy Commission without government interference.
“It was the functioning, prerogative of the Mercy Commission,” he stated, adding that the decision was independent of any governmental or political influence.