PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has released 47 incarcerated women with circumstantial children.

The 47 mothers are among the 815 inmates who have been released as part of the Independence Day celebrations.

In addition to the women, the remaining individuals who have been released include 744 ordinary citizens, one foreign national, 10 elderly inmates while other have been commuted from death to life imprisonment.

Speaking a media briefing, Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security Jack Mwiimbu said exercised his prerogative of mercy to release the inmates.

“To commemorate the 59th Independence anniversary, the President of the Republic of Zambia and Commander in Chief, Mr Hakainde Hichilema has exercised his prerogative of mercy on 833 to commemorate Zambia’s independence which falls on October 24th. This includes the release of 815 inmates and commutation of sentences for 17 inmates.744 of them are ordinary persons who are incarcerated, one foreign national, 10 old aged 47 females with circumstantial children, 16 being released under the President’s pleasure and two for commutation,” he said.

Mr Mwiimbu said the pardoning of inmates has been done after care scrutiny to ensure that only those reformed and productive inmates are given a second chance.

He said the release of the inmates represents a 3.2 percent of person’s and correctional population of 26,066.

“You may wish to note that the average daily unlock stands around 26,000 against a holding capacity of 10,650 translating into an overpopulation of 163 percent. In order to address and find solutions on congestion, on September 9th, 2022, Government launched a prisons audit aimed at speeding up dispensing of justice for citizens. Prison audits are important for understanding general personal characteristics to enable an informed decision,” he said.

Mr Mwiimbu added that Government is committed to ensuring the protection of rights of inmates and that Government is in the process of introducing and automated case flow management which will link justice institutions to help track transparency and accountability.

Source:Mwebantu

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