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    HomeLocal NewsPresident Mnangagwa frees more prisoners

    President Mnangagwa frees more prisoners

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    Harare(New Ziana) – President Emerson Mnangagwa on Friday expanded the categories of beneficiaries of a prisoner amnesty earlier announced, in a bid to de-congest prisons further in light of the Covid-19 which spreads fast in congested environments.

    Before the outbreak of Covid-19, the government had announced plans to pardon 6 000 prisoners – mainly those convicted of petty crimes and serving short sentences – to reduce congestion in prisons.

    Zimbabwe has 46 correctional facilities with a carrying capacity of 17 000, but these hold more than 22 000 prisoners.

    In view of Covid-19, the government has decided to expand the categories of beneficiaries of the presidential pardon in a bid to bring down the prisoner numbers further.

    In a statement, the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs said prisoners who had served 25 years of their life sentences would also now benefit from the presidential amnesty.

    But it said those convicted for specified crimes, including murder, treason, rape or any sexual offences, carjacking, robbery, stock theft, public violence, any conspiracy, incitement or attempt to commit any of the offences above would be excluded.

    The amnesty will also not include those convicted of being an accessory to any of the above offences, any prisoner who was previously released on amnesty, any prisoner serving a sentence imposed by a Court Martial and any prisoner who has a record of escaping from lawful custody.

    “Full remission of sentence is hereby granted to all prisoners who have served life imprisonment for at least twenty-five years. These include—prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, prisoners whose sentences were commuted from death to life imprisonment and prisoners whose sentences were altered to life imprisonment on appeal or review. The 25-year period shall include any period spent under the sentence of death,” the Ministry said.

    “A commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment is hereby granted to all prisoners who have been on the death row for at least ten years and above.”

    President Mnangagwa has also granted amnesty to all prisoners aged seventy years and above, who have served half of their sentence except those convicted for specified offences.

    Juvenile and female prisoners appeal to be the main beneficiaries of the revised amnesty.

    “Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all female prisoners save for those convicted of specified offences. The inmate should have served at least half of her sentence,” the Ministry said.

    “Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all juvenile prisoners under the age of eighteen save for those convicted of specified offences. The prisoners should have served at least one third of his or her sentence.”

    Prisoners serving sentences of 36 months and below will also be set free provided they would have served half of their sentence and that they would not have been excluded from benefitting in terms of specified offences.

    Other prisoners will also be freed on medical grounds, while full remission of sentence is also granted to all prisoners serving in Open Prisons regardless of offences committed.

    “Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all prisoners who have been bed ridden for a prolonged period without recovery upon certification by a Correctional Medical Officer or a Government Medical Officer. The Department of Correctional Service should liaise with social welfare so that a commitment for providing medication is attained,” it said.

    The amnesty is also extended to inmates serving more than thirty-six months who have served a third of their sentence.

    “(Those) are hereby granted an additional one-quarter remission of the remaining effective period of imprisonment.”

    Zimbabwe has registered five Covid-19 cases, one of which has resulted in death.

    It is, however, unclear how many prisoners will now be pardoned.

    New Ziana

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