President Lazarus Chakwera has pardoned 200 prisoners including former Home Affairs minister Uladi Mussa and teenager Mussa John.
Uladi Mussa who was sentenced to five years in prison for being found guilty of corruptly awarding citizenships and work permits to foreigners has been considered for pardon.
Homeland Security Minister Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma has confirmed the pardoning of Mussa. According to Ng’oma, the pardon of the prisoners is an act of mercy in this Easter season.
He further said that the pardon list has also included Jones Tewesa a driver to former commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) Linda Kunje who was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for obstructing the presidential convoy and a teenager Mussa John who was initially sentenced to 8 years in prison for being found in possession of chamba before the sentence was reduced to three years.
Ng’oma said that the other prisoners to be released are those who were charged with minor offences and have demonstrated good behavioral reform.
“It has pleased the state president Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera to pardon a total of 200 prisoners as part of Easter celebrations.
“The Constitution gives the mandate to the state president to pardon prisoners who have behaved well during the time of their stay in the prison. This is the time where we reconcile as a country,” Ng’oma said.
Chapter 89 (2) of the Constitution gives the president power to pardon convicted offenders, grant stays of execution of sentence, reduce sentences, or remit sentences.
It requires that this should be done in consultation with an Advisory Committee on the Granting of Pardon, the composition and formation of which is determined by an Act of Parliament.
Last year, Chakwera pardoned 106 prisoners during the same period. Chakwera has so far pardoned over 1900 prisoners since he became president of the country in 2020.
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