By JOHN SAKALLA
President Edgar Lungu has pardoned 593 in mates from various correctional facilities throughout the country.
Announcing the pardon to the media in Shiwangandu, Home Affairs Minister Stephen Kampyongo said the pardoned inmates consist of convicts serving both short and long term sentences.
Mr Kampyongo said the short term sentences range from six months to five years while the long term sentences are more than five years and could be as long as thirty five years.
He said pardoning is the exercise of the prerogative of mercy by the Head of State is in accordance with article 97 of the Constitution of the Republic of Zambia which provides for the Presidential Pardon and substitution of severe sentences imposed on convicted persons by the Courts of Law.
The Minister said of the 593 pardoned inmates, 43 of them are females who were serving short term sentences while 532 are males.
“The male inmates who have been pardoned account for 3% of the male population in incarceration while the females account for 7% of the female population in the correctional facilities throughout the country,” he said.
