Hichilema releases 815 inmates, commutes 17 on death row to live imprisonment

President Hakainde Hichilema has released 815 inmates to mark Zambia’s 59th Independence celebrations.

Also, 17 inmates have their sentences commuted from death to life imprisonment.

In announcing this in a statement on Monday in Lusaka, Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, said the President had released 815 inmates, which represented 3.2 percent of the 26,066 prison and correctional population.

Mwiimbu said among these, 45 were females with circumstantial children, while nine were elderly inmates.

He said the pardon of women with circumstantial children aligned with the presidential directive issued during the graduation parade at Nyango, Kaoma.

Mwiimbu said the directive emphasized that the Zambia Correctional Service should not continue to detain innocent babies in correctional centers.

“This action by the Republican President is an exercise of the powers conferred upon him by the constitution, as stipulated in Article 97 of Chapter One (1) of the Laws of Zambia.

“This provision allows for presidential pardons and the substitution of severe punishments imposed on convicted persons,” Mwiimbu said.

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