APM pardons 27 prisoners as part of Eid, Easter

President Peter Mutharika has pardoned 27 prisoners as an act of mercy to celebrate Eid among Muslims and Easter for the Christian faithful. Ministry of Homeland Security Principal Secretary Linda Moyo said in a statement that the pardon was granted in exercise of the President’s powers as provided under Section 82(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi. She said the pardoned inmates met the requirements under the Guidelines for the Granting of Pardons to Convicted Prisoners and demonstrated good behaviour and reform while serving their respective sentences.

“These include convicted prisoners who have served half of their sentences, the elderly, females, the chronically ill and those selected to various public universities,” said Moyo. Malawi Prisons national spokesperson Steve Meke on Saturday said he could not share the list of pardoned prisoners because the process is handled by a special committee. He said the Malawi Prisons’ role is restricted to submitting a list of eligible inmates.

“Our role is to submit names of inmates who may be considered for pardon,” said Meke. Reacting to the development, Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance executive director Victor Chagunyuka Mhango welcomed the President’s decision and described it as a step in the right direction. In an interview yesterday, he said that while the pardon will help ease congestion in prisons, there is need for a more sustained approach.

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Said Mhango: “The decision by the President to pardon 27 inmates is a welcome step towards easing congestion in our prisons, but it must be part of a broader, sustained approach. “Priority should be given to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the terminally ill, women with babies and inmates already on a path to rehabilitation, including those selected to pursue university education.” Despite efforts to expand infrastructure and periodic presidential pardons, Malawi’s prisons remain heavily congested. Currently, the facilities hold about 15 000 inmates against a design capacity of 8 000.

The pardon comes as Muslims marked Eid ul-Fitr on Saturday, a festival that signifies the end of 30 days of fasting and prayer during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Christians, on the other hand, will celebrate Easter on April 5, marking the end of the 40-day Lenten period.

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