Minister of Justice, Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi told The Chronicle that he wants President Emmerson Mnangagwa to pardon 2 000 prisoners to ease congestion in Zimbabwe’s prisons. He said that the release of prisoners is a priority in his ministry’s 100 day plan.
Prisoners are released on amnesty in terms of section 112 (1)(a) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Said Ziyambi:
We want the President as a goodwill gesture to pardon some of the some of the prisoners so that we reduce the prison overload and hope that within the next 100 days , we will have the President’s consent to pardon some of the prisoners. The prison population is around 19 000 yet the holding capacity is 17 000.
He said that his ministry was working on establishing a Mental board to assess and clear the 374 mental patients in custody.
More: Chronicle
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