Malawi leader pardons 230 prisoners: Mutharika says ‘symbol of forgiveness’

Malawi President Peter Mutharika has pardoned 230 prisoners from the country’s overcrowded jails under an amnesty to mark Christmas and New Year, the home affairs ministry said on Wednesday.

President Mutharika with former prison commissioner Kennedy Nkhoma, now in Home Affairs ministry
President Mutharika with former prison commissioner Kennedy Nkhoma, now in Home Affairs ministry

”The pardon of the 230 prisoners is a symbol of forgiveness during the Christmas and New Year Celebrations,”  it said in a statement.

The pardoned prisoners had served at least half of their sentences and had behaved well during their incarceration, or had not convicted of serious offences.

Mutharika has been granting clemency to prisoners during independence celebrations and alast year’s Christmas.

Malawi’s 34 prisons, home to about 12,000 inmates, are battling severe overcrowding, which many blame on courts ordering jail sentences for minor offences.

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masiku otsiliza
8 years ago

Momwemo.

2016 welcome
2016 welcome
8 years ago

Peter Mutharika is a specialist in failure. He is efficient when making bad decisions. What a cretin president we have.

olira
olira
8 years ago

Koma mwalangize kuti kunjaku masiku ano police imangopha nde chonde mukasithe coz simukapezaso mwai obwera kuno koma mutha kukapita Ku mortuary

chisomo
chisomo
8 years ago

They will soon find themselves behind the bars again for theft. Life is tough out here. May be it is better in there, because ironically the prisoners eat taxes for the very victims they wronged. Mukonze economy a APM ndi gulu lanu.

sam
sam
8 years ago

Kind gesture keep it up

The Analyst
The Analyst
8 years ago

O…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..O My style of leadership is business unusual, so declared APM. And what unusual day-to-day thing has APM done, thus far? Nothing! This practice only perpetuates crime since the criminals now know that if they are convicted for 5 years; they will be pardoned after 2.5 years on display of ‘good’ behaviour. By the way what good behaviour is this? Who doesn’t become prayerful when in trouble? Is bribing the prison officers, good behaviour? Truth is: a prisoner behaves well (whatever this means); not because he/she is a changed person, but for fear of being punished. Lets us therefore not… Read more »

chimwemwe
chimwemwe
8 years ago

We hope they are deserving prisoners, also please advise when will you release poor malaiwans from the twin miseries we are all facing inflation and kwacha depreciation. Please hold a press conference or address the nation as we are in a economic crisis and we look upto you as our leader to show us vision and hope, as we are failing to make ends meet. Kwacha was the worst performimg currency in the world as of 2015

therere
therere
8 years ago

Good gesture mr president

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