Death row prisoners given second chance at life

President Mnangagwa has commuted death sentences to life imprisonment for all prisoners on death row for at least ten years. This was enabled by a recent clemency on prisoners. ED as he is affectionately known issued the Clemency order Number 1 of 2020 on March 24. The order also gives full remission of sentence for all convicted female prisoners, juveniles and those over 70 for the remaining period of imprisonment that have served at least half of their sentences save for those convicted of specified offences.

ED stated,”A commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment is hereby granted to all prisoners who have been on the death row for at least 10 years and above”. The order excluded from the proposed amnesty prisoners previously released on amnesty, any prisoner serving a sentence imposed by a court martial, any prisoner who has a record of escaping from lawful custody and any prisoner convicted of commiting any specified offences which included murder, treason, rape or any sexual offence, car jacking and robbery.

ED has once again boosted his popularly by this order. People have however reacted differently and say they now fear for their lives of convicts are released back into society without serving their full term. They said the probability to commit further offences is high considering the high cost of living out there