President Mnangagwa grants relief to death row inmates, 4 000 prisoners freed

President Mnangagwa grants relief to death row inmates, 4 000 prisoners freed

Crime Reporter

PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has granted amnesty to over 4 000 convicts in various categories, in a move meant to decongest the country’s prisons.

The amnesty was granted under Clemency Order Number 1 of 2024, published in an Extraordinary Gazette on Tuesday, while the announcement was made by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, under General Notice 467 of 2024.

Last year the President granted amnesty to 4 270 inmates.

The latest amnesty excludes those serving time for specified offences.

Beneficiaries of the amnesty include all female inmates who have served one third of their sentence by April 18, excluding those serving time for specified offences and those who have previously been released on amnesty.

Inmates under the age of 18 will also benefit if they have served one third of their sentence by today, but those charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act are excluded from this Amnesty.

In addition, prisoners serving an effective period of 48 months and below and who would have served one third of their sentence, also by today if the offences are not specified, will also be released.

The President also pardoned inmates certified terminally ill by a Correctional Medical Officer (CMO) or a Government Medical Officer (GMO), but those charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act are excluded from the amnesty, while the Department of Correctional Services should liaise with Social Welfare so that there is continuity of treatment for those released.

Inmates serving their sentences at open prisons, provided they were not charged under the Criminal Code, will also be released while those above 60 years will also benefit if they have served one tenth of their sentence by today and were not be charged under the Code.

“Full remission of the remaining period is hereby granted to all those inmates who would have served life imprisonment for at least 20 years. This includes inmates sentenced to life imprisonment and those whose sentences were commuted from death to life imprisonment. In this case the period of 20 years will include the period when the inmate was serving as a prisoner under sentence of death, inmates whose sentences were altered to life imprisonment on appeal or review,” reads part of the Clemency Order.

President Mnangagwa also commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment to all inmates who have been on death row for 10 years and above.

Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Meya Khanyezi, said the amnesty was a joyous occasion as it comes when the nation is celebrating its 44th Independence Day today.

“As we celebrate the 44th anniversary of our great country’s independence tomorrow (today), let us rejoice in this great act of clemency.