Seven Malawi prisoners escape from Zomba jail

Seven inmates, including dangerous criminals, escaped from Zomba Maximum Security Prison some 60 kilometres away from the commercial hub of Blantyre early Monday morning.

However, security forces have since arrested four but three convicts were at large. They climbed over a brick fence to flee.

Malawi Prison’s public relations officer Evance Phiri said there was tension on Sunday when convicts rioted and disrupted the release of 34 inmates who were given presidential pardon.

Phiri said there is now “tight security” at the facility after the prisoners disrupted the release of the pardoned convicts.

Malawi maximum prison in Zomba

President Joyce Banda on July 6 2012 pardoned 377 prisoners as Malawi was celebrating 48th anniversary independence.

Rapist, murderer freed

But the prisoners at Zomba jail claimed that among the 34 pardoned was one serving his sentence for rape and other serving life sentence for murder.

The two are Eston Kuyiwenga who was serving 7 years for sexual assault who would have served time up to 2017 and George Allan Nyambi serving a life sentence for murder.

Nyambi was convicted of murder alongside Chief Nyambi of Machinga for murdering a man found stealing in the chief’s garden. The chief already received a presidential pardon.

The inmates alleged the two have been pardoned because “they are connected to big people in government.”

When she announced her decision to release some prisoners Banda said her clemency excludes criminals facing serious charges including rape or any sexual offenses on young girls, carjacking, armed robbery and murder.

“I have rejected 11 others on the list on grounds that they were involved in defilement cases.

“One of them has serious liver problem but we will bury him if need be because he knowingly doomed the future of young girl whom he raped repeatedly/” Banda told a national prayers event.

Presidential  spokesperson, Steve Nhlane, said the president was unaware of any serious criminals on her pardon list which was prepared by a pardons committee comprises Chief Commissioner of Prisons, Attorney General, a police officer, a lawyer and a physician.

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