TO COMMEMORATE the country’s 55th independence anniversary, President Edgar Lungu has pardoned 283 inmates. Minister of Home Affairs Stephen Kampyongo said at a media briefing yesterday that of the pardoned prisoners, 260 are ordinary inmates, one is old-aged while 22 are those detained under the President’s pleasure. Mr Kampyongo said the pardoned inmates are based at various correctional facilities countrywide. “Out of this number [283], 245 are male and 38 are female.

In terms of percentage, the pardoned inmates represent 1.05 percent of the total population of inmates in our correctional facilities,” Mr Kampyongo said. The minister said the population of prisoners currently stands at 22,678 against the holding capacity of 9,150. He said of the 22,678 inmates in various correctional facilities, 97 percent are men while 3.3 percent are female.

“The action by the President is in accordance with article 97 of the Constitution of Zambia which provides for the presidential pardon and substitution of severe punishments imposed on convicted persons,” he said. The Ministry of Home Affairs is grateful to President Lungu for exercising his prerogative of mercy at a time when the correctional facilities are congested. “ S t a f f a t t h e Z a m b i a Correctional Service is confident that the pardoned personers have been rehabilitated and are ready for reintegration in society.

“Successful reintegration of former inmates is, however, largely dependent on the support from members of the immediate families and communities of former inmates,” the minister said. Mr Kampyongo called on families of pardoned inmates and the public to support them (inmates) by not discriminating against them. He said it is important to give the pardoned a second chance to find their feet as law-abiding citizens. And the minister has warned t h o s e p l a n n i n g t o c a u s e lawlessness during Independence Day celebrations that law enforcement agencies will deal with them. He also called on citizens to turn up in numbers to celebrate the anniversary