2000 coup leader George Speight and former military officer Shane Stevens have been granted presidential pardon and are now free men.

This was confirmed to Fiji One news by the Fiji Corrections Service Commissioner Dr Jalesi Nakarawa.

According to FCS the Mercy Commission, during its meeting held yesterday, reviewed the petitions for mercy submitted by Speight, Stevens and five others.

Following the Commission’s deliberations, recommendations for mercy were made, and His Excellency, the President of Fiji, acting under Section 119(5) of the Constitution, granted pardons to all of the above petitioners. These pardons were formally granted on 18 September 2024.

As a result, the two and five others have been officially discharged from custody today.
The other five are Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, James Sanjesh Goundar, Adi Livini Radininausori , John Miller.

FCS says however, in the case of James Sanjesh Goundar, who passed away on 6 September at the Minimum Corrections Center, the pardon, unfortunately, came too late.