Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner Jalesi Nakarawa stated that there are no legal barriers preventing George Speight from seeking a mercy application. Last Thursday, Speight, who was a key figure in the 2000 coup, and former Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit leader Shane Stevens were among seven individuals granted a Presidential Pardon.
Speight was charged with treason and pleaded guilty in 2001, leading to a death sentence that was later commuted to life imprisonment in 2002. He has spent 24 years, one month, and 23 days, totaling 8,820 days, incarcerated on Nukulau Island and at the Naboro Corrections Complex, and he has no prior convictions.
Nakarawa addressed discussions surrounding Speight’s pardons, clarifying that the first pardon was not a direct application from Speight but a legal response to circumstances at that time. He explained that no one had received a death sentence since the 1960s, and while the government intended to abolish the death penalty, a court ruling exploited a legal loophole in the interim.
He emphasized that public perception of Speight being pardoned twice is incorrect, as the ultimate decision rests with the Mercy Commission. Nakarawa mentioned that both Speight and Stevens were emotional upon learning of their pardons, expressing hopes to rebuild their lives and start businesses after gaining insights during their imprisonment.
He urged the public to recognize the efforts of the corrections service to fulfill their duties to the best of their capabilities, stressing that all matters are handled according to the law, despite differing opinions.