Two Fijian sailors, imprisoned in Tuvalu since 2012, have been pardoned and allowed to return home.
Epeli Kamikamica, Samuela Dolesau either side of Tuvalu justice Minister Simon Kofe Photo: PACNEWS
Epeli Kamikamica and Samuela Dolesau were imprisoned for life for the murder of a Chinese national in April 2011.
The PACNEWS agency reports that at the time of their conviction the penalty for murder was a mandatory life sentence, without the prospect of release.
Announcing their release, Tuvalu's Minister for Justice and Foreign Affairs, Simon Kofe, said that Parliament amended the Penal Code in 2014 to reduce the penalty for murder from life imprisonment to a minimum 15 years.
But he said that did not apply retrospectively to those prisoners serving life at the time.
In May last year, Mr Kofe tabled an amendment to allow for the High Court to resentence those prisoners serving life sentences under the new law.
The government at the time opposed the bill but following the change of government in August it was retabled and passed.
