President grants non-violent prisoners amnesty

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

 AN amnesty has been granted to a range of prisoners serving time for non-violent offences with President Mnangagwa exercising executive clemency to release inmates who had served at least one-third of their jail term by Independence Day (tomorrow).

The Clemency Order No 1 of 2024 was gazetted under General Notice 467 of 2024 issued by the Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Vimbai Nyemba.

The order excludes a range of prisoners, mainly violent criminals which include; those serviing sprecified crimes which include murder, rape or any sexual offence, carjacking, robbery, public violence, human trafficking, unlawful possession of firearm, contravenation of the Electricity Act and contravention of the Postal and Telecommunications Act.

Also not included are inmates who have benefited from previous amnesties.

All prisoners under sentence of death and on death row for 10 years have had their sentence reduced to life imprisonment and those serving life imprisonment who have served at least 20 years can be released.

According to the order, a full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is granted to all convicted female prisoners, save for those convicted of specified offences so long as they had served one third of the sentence by 18 April.

All juveniles under the age of 18 also have been given a full pardon if they have served a third of the sentence by 18 April with only those convicted of public violence staying inside. Age determination will be based on the birth certificate or dental age estimation.

Male prisoners who were sentenced to 48 months and below and have served one third of their sentence by April 18 have also been pardoned provided they were not convicted for specified offences.

Those serving effective sentence above 48 months and have served at least one third of the sentence, will have their sentences reduced by a quarter unless they are inside for specified offences.

Terminally ill prisoners certified by a correctional medical officer or a Government medical officer go free regardless of offence but the Department of Correctional Services must liaise with Social Welfare so that they continue treatment after release.

Inmates at open prisons have also been pardoned regardless of offence. Those aged 60 years and above and have served one tenth of their sentence by April 18 have also been included serve for those under specified offences.