Nation on Sunday has found a stark contradiction in the amnesty of six convicted Buleya Lule killers pardoned on January 1 while a formal plea to free prisoners who earned university places was left unanswered. Rights activists say the disparity exposes a pardon process that appears to flout its own rules and raises serious questions about fairness and the purpose of rehabilitation. The government’s own press release had previously said the amnesty would “only apply to all convicted prisoners, except those convicted of the following classes of offences: murder, trafficking in persons [and] offences against persons with albinism.” Yet, six of the prisoners pardoned had committed murder, a crime on that excluded list.
Weeks before the pardon, the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance (Chreaa) on December 17 2025 petitioned President Peter Mutharika to pardon prisoners who had achieved university admission while in prison, the very example of “good behavioural reform” the government said it required. “We bring to your attention three prisoners who have demonstrated exceptional dedication to personal growth and development. Despite the challenges of their circumstances, these individuals pursued secondary school education and successfully gained admission to university,” reads the letter signed by Chreaa executive director Victor Mhango.
The letter named three inmates Odala Lambulira (Blantyre Prison), admitted for a Bachelor of Arts in History and Geography at Domasi University, Chipiliro Mbewe Witta (Blantyre Prison), admitted for a Bachelor of Education Arts at the Malawi University of Science and Technology and Bicco Mzilahowa (Mzuzu Prison), admitted for a Bachelor of Arts in Musicology at Must. “These individuals have served part of their sentences and their behaviour and performance indicate that they are reformed and pose no danger to society,” the letter stated. Chreaa also asked Mutharika to consider releasing other prisoners who performed well in recent Malawi School Certificate Education (MSCE) and were likely to get university selection.
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A handwritten note on the petition by Mutharika asked the organisation to submit the plea to the Commissioner for Pardons. That submission led nowhere, while the six murderers were released. In an interview on Thursday, Mhango said the contrast undermines the justice system and betrays the principle of rehabilitation.
“The failure to act on these cases is a missed moral and civic opportunity made more painful by the selective mercy shown elsewhere. “It sends a damaging message: that political convenience or influence can outweigh evidence of rehabilitation. It discourages every incarcerated person striving for education and reform,” said Mhango He argued the issue is systemic.
“It undermines the idea that rehabilitation matters. It erodes public confidence in equal justice under the law,” added Mhango.
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