Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has dismissed claims of political interference concerning the pardoning of George Speight, the leader of the 2000 coup, and Shane Stevens, the former leader of the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit (CRW).
This response comes after supporters of Rabuka’s political party publicly called for the release of the two men during campaign meetings for the People’s Alliance ahead of the 2022 General Election. The latest remarks were made on September 13.
Speight and Stevens were among seven individuals who received Presidential Pardons last Thursday. Speight was originally charged with treason and pleaded guilty in 2002, leading to a death sentence that was later reduced to life imprisonment.
In a media briefing, Rabuka stated that the Mercy Commission operates independently, emphasizing that the decision to grant pardons lay solely with the commission following established procedures.
“The People’s Alliance has maintained that the 2013 Constitution and its mechanisms will function autonomously, including the Mercy Commission, which is free from governmental influence,” Rabuka explained.
He reiterated that the decisions made by the Mercy Commission were not associated with any government or political affiliations.