Pardon more prisoners, PRISCA pleads
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu should continue to pardon more prisoners as recommended by authorities to ease the life-threatening prison congestion in correctional facilities, Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISCA) executive director, Godfrey Malembeka has advised.
Dr Malembeka, who was elated that Zimbabwe’s new President, Emmerson Mnangagwa had pardoned about 3 000 prisoners to decongest the overpopulated jails advised President Lungu to do the same.
President Mnangagwa’s pardon will see the release of all female prisoners except those serving life terms, all disabled, juvenile prisoners, terminally-ill prisoners and those above the age of 60 who have served a third of their time.
Dr Malembeka told Daily Nation that in as much as the strides made by the Patriotic Front (PF) governments were commendable, there was still need for more to be done.
He pointed out that PF had in the past six years pardoned over 6000 inmates but that the prison population of over 21,000 was still too high considering a holding capacity of slightly over 8000.
Dr Malembeka pleaded with the Head of State to pardon more prisoners whom authorities have recommended fit to be reintegrated into society to help ease prison congestion.
“There a lot of inmates who have reformed and authorities have recommended can now be pardoned. The President can exercise his prerogative of mercy to ease prison congestion. It is commendable that PF governments have not been following the tradition of only pardoning inmates on African Freedom Day and Independency Day,” he said.
Dr Malembeka said that in as much as the holding capacity might have increased with the construction of four new correctional facilities, Presidential pardons were inevitable.
He called on the President to continue pardoning prisoners, pointing out that Zambia would have had over 26000 prisoners had the Heads of State not pardoned the 6000 inmates in the last six years.
Zimbabwe’s prisons which have around 20,000 inmates but a holding capacity of about 17,000 were still a source concern to the new President.