By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday, 10th April, 2023 pardoned renown politician Uladi Mussa and 199 other inmates as part of Easter Holiday Celebrations.
From the Press Release we have seen from the Ministry of Homeland Security, President Chakwera has exercised his powers as stipulated in the Constitution of the land under Section 89, subsection 2.
“The Prisoners who have been pardoned are those that have met the requirements of the Guidelines for the Granting of Pardon to Convicted Prisoners and have demonstrated good behavioural reform while serving their sentences. Amongst those released on pardon are; Mr. Uladi Basiko Mussa, Jones Tewesa, and John Mussa.” Reads part of the release which has been signed by Oliver Kumbambe, Secretary for Homeland Security.
Further the statement said, President Chakwera has granted a General Amnesty to prisoners serving determinate sentences reducing their respective sentences by six months as a measure to decongest the prisons.
The inmates who have been pardoned include those who have served half of their sentences, the elderly, and female convicts who were accompanied by their children to prison.
This year’s number of pardoned prisoners has gone up by 94 inmates as compared to last year during the same festive season, during which President Chakwera pardoned 106 prisoners across the country.
Uladi Mussa who once served as Minister of Homeland Security was imprisoned for Six years in October, 2020 after being found guilty on counts of abuse of public office (5yrs) and negligence of official duties (1yr), while Jones Tewesa got jailed in August, 2022 for a year and three months (15 months) after being guilty of criminal negligence as the vehicle he was driving blocked the President’s motorcade in the city of Zomba, and John Mussa has been freed from a conviction he got in June, 2022 for eight years for being in possession of Indian Hemp.
