The chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, Ratu Viliame Seruvakula, has stated that the political prisoners released this week have served their sentences and deserve to be freed. His comments come in response to the release of 2000 coup leader George Speight and former military officer Shane Stevens on Wednesday.
Ratu Viliame expressed his relief at their release, noting that it was expected after the pair had served more than the mandated time for their offenses. He acknowledged the ongoing debate regarding whether Speight should be released or remain incarcerated but emphasized the importance of the judicial system’s credibility in administering justice.
He stated, “If the judicial system believes that a person is guilty and has appointed a punishment that fits the crime, then that time in prison is meant for rehabilitation.” He asserted that once the designated sentence is completed, individuals should be permitted to leave prison for their own reform.
Ratu Viliame highlighted the necessity of respecting court decisions, no matter the severity of the crime. He added, “They are the experts. They made their call, and we should all abide by that. Once the time is served, they should be released if there is no legal justification for their continued imprisonment.”
He cautioned that keeping someone in prison beyond the stipulated time constitutes injustice, regardless of the individual in question. He concluded, “It doesn’t matter who it is, whether it’s George Speight or anyone else; he served his time—let him go.”