George Speight, the man behind the 2000 coup in Fiji, and former soldier Shane Stevens, who led the mutineers, have been granted Presidential pardons. The Fiji Correction Service confirmed the decision on Thursday, announcing that the two were among seven prisoners pardoned by President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, following recommendations from the Mercy Commission.
“These pardons were formally granted on 18 September 2024. As a result, the named individuals have been officially discharged from custody today, Thursday, 19 September 2024,” the Fiji Correction Service said in a statement.
Speight was serving a life sentence for treason, while Stevens was also serving life for mutiny. Both were central figures in the violent political upheavals of the early 2000s.
In June 2023, Speight applied for a presidential pardon, raising speculation about his release after serving more than two decades in prison. The pardon marks a significant chapter in Fiji’s complex political history.
The other prisoners pardoned include Sekina Vosavakatini, Nioni Tagici, James Sanjesh Goundar, Adi Livini Radininausori, and John Miller.
Speight’s 2000 coup was notable for being the first civilian-led armed overthrow of the government in Fiji, setting a controversial precedent in the nation’s political landscape.
Source: RNZ
