(Last Updated on March 17, 2021 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – Cabinet yesterday announced that it had approved the granting of a general amnesty, a move that will significantly decongest the country’s overcrowded prisons.
Speaking during a post-cabinet media brief, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said
the amnesty will target convicted criminals who have served at least a third of their prison sentences.
“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 the following: murder, treason, rape or any sexual offence, carjacking, robbery, stock theft, and public violence.
“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.
Government has been under pressure to decongest the prisons following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Civil society organisations have raised the concern that overcrowded prisons pose a serious threat to the health of the inmates, particularly during this pandemic.
