People will soon know about the deliberations and decisions of the Mercy Commission.
Attorney General Siromi Turaga says they will brief the media on their deliberations from last Wednesday.
According to the 2013 Constitution, the Commission consists of the Attorney General who is to be its chairperson; and 4 other members appointed by the President, acting on the advice of the Judicial Services Commission, following consultation by it with the Attorney-General.
It says on the petition of any convicted person, the Commission may recommend that the President exercise a power of mercy by granting a free or conditional pardon to a person convicted of an offence; postponing the carrying out of a punishment, either for a specific or indeterminate period; or remitting all or a part of a punishment.
The Constitution says the Commission may dismiss a petition that it reasonably considers to be frivolous, vexatious or entirely without merit, but otherwise must consider a report on the case prepared by the Judge who presided at the trial; or the Chief Justice, if a report cannot be obtained from the presiding Judge; must consider any other information derived from the record of the case or elsewhere that is available to the Commission; and may consider the views of the victims of the offence.
It says the President must act in accordance with the recommendations of the Commission.
