The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Sunday News Reporter
CABINET has approved the release of prisoners who have served at least two thirds of their jail terms in order to decongest the overpopulated prisons, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Senator Monica Mutsvangwa has said.
In a post Cabinet briefing on Tuesday Minister Mutsvangwa said Cabinet considered and approved the proposed General Amnesty, which was presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs which seeks to release prisoners who have served two thirds of their terms except those convicted of specified offences such as murder, treason, rape or any sexual offence, carjacking, robbery, stock theft, and public violence.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the prisons were grappling with a population of more than 20 000 against a holding capacity of 17 000.
“Section 112 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe empowers the President after consultation with Cabinet, to exercise the power of mercy to grant pardon to any person concerned in or convicted of an offence against law.
The Proposed General Amnesty is targeted at all prisoners who have served at least one third of their sentences, save for those convicted of specified offences such as murder, treason, rape or any sexual offence, carjacking, robbery, stock theft, and public violence.
The amnesty will decongest the prison institution whose population currently stands at 20 407 against the prison’s holding capacity of 17 000. The overpopulation already poses a health hazard, especially considering the Covis-19 pandemic and the recommended measures to curtail the spread of the disease,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said there will be remission of sentence for prisoners convicted of murder and sentenced to life who would have served at least 15 years.
“There shall be full remission of sentence to be granted to all prisoners who would have served life imprisonment for at least 15 years commutation,” she said.
