ZIMBABWE PRISONS AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICE
PRESS STATEMENT
GENERAL AMNESTY 2018: CLEMENCY ORDER NO 1. OF 2018
1. His Excellency the President has in terms of section 112 (1)(a), (c) and (d) of the constitution of Zimbabwe granted amnesty to prisoners as outlined in the following categories;
CATEGORY ‘A’
Remission of sentence for all convicted female prisoners.
2. A full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all female prisoners, regardless of the offence committed, save for those sentenced to life imprisonment and to death.
CATEGORY ‘B’
Remission of sentence of all juveniles
3. Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all juvenile prisoners under the age of eighteen years serving terms of imprisonment, irrespective of the offences they committed.
CATEGORY ‘C’
Remission of sentence for prisoners sentenced to 36 months and below
4. Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all those prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 36 months and below and who would have served a quarter of their sentence by the date of gazetting of this Clemency Order provided they are not excluded from benefitting in terms of paragraph 13 and 14.
CATEGORY ‘D’
Remission of sentence on medical grounds
5. Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all terminally ill prisoners who are unlikely to survive their prison terms irrespective of the offences they committed upon certification by a Prison Medical Officer or a Government Medical Officer, of the fact that the concerned prisoner is unlikely to survive his or her prison term.
CATEGORY ‘E’
Remission of sentence for prisoners at the open prison
6. Remission of sentence is hereby granted to all prisoners serving a term of imprisonment at the open prison. This category consists of prisoners who as a result of good behaviour and a genuine desire to reform whilst in closed prison have been selected for the open prison rehabilitation programmes.
CATEGORY ‘F’
Remission of sentence for prisoners aged 60 years and above
7. Full remission of sentence is hereby granted to all prisoners aged 60 years and above, and who would have served one third of their sentence by the date of gazetting of this Clemency Order regardless of the offence committed save for those sentenced to life imprisonment or death.
CATEGORY ‘G’
Remission of sentence for prisoners convicted of stock theft
8. Full remission is hereby granted to all prisoners serving a sentence of imprisonment for stock theft who would have served one third of their sentence after a one third remission by the date of gazetting of this Clemency Order.
CATEGORY ‘H’
Remission of sentence for prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment
9. Full remission is hereby granted to all male prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment on or before 28 February 1998. Further a full remission is hereby granted to all female prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment on or before 31 December 2010.
CATEGORY ‘I’
Commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment
10. Commutation of the death sentence to life imprisonment is hereby granted to all prisoners who have been on death row for ten years and above.
CATEGORY ‘J’
Remission of sentence for disabled persons
11. Full remission of the remaining period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all prisoners who are certified by a Prison Medical Officer or a Government Medical Officer to be blind and those who are physically disabled to the extent that they resort to the use of their hands to move around the prison and those who rely on other persons to be moved around the prison.
CATEGORY ‘K’
Quarter Remission of sentence for prisoners sentenced to above 36 months
12. An additional one quarter remission of the remaining effective period of imprisonment is hereby granted to all those prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for a period of more than 36 months and have served at least one third of the effective term of imprisonment.
Prisoners excluded from the proposed Amnesty
13. The following prisoners are excluded from this amnesty:—
(i) Any habitual criminals serving a term of extended imprisonment;
(ii) Any person who was previously released on amnesty;
(iii) Any person serving a sentence imposed by a Court Martial;
(iv) Any person who escaped from lawful custody and is still at large by the date of gazetting of this Clemency Order;
(v) Any person convicted of a specified offence other than those benefitting in terms of paragraphs 2, 9 and 10.
Definitions
14. For the purposes of this amnesty, “specified offence” means—
(a) murder, treason;
(b) rape or any sexual offence;
(c) carjacking, armed robbery;
(d) any conspiracy, incitement or attempt to commit any of the offences referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c);
(e) being an accessory after the fact to any of the offences referred to in paragraphs (a), (b) or (c).
15. As ZPCS, we applaud the move taken by His Excellency in exercising his prerogative of mercy to some prisoners behind bars. The exercise has not only gone a long way in decongesting our prisons but has served as a reminder to inmates and society that the purpose of imprisonment is founded on the pretext of reformation than retribution. It is now left to society to ensure that those released reintegrate safely and well in their respective communities.
16. Whilst we as ZPCS would have made endeavours to rehabilitate the inmates, our efforts and His Excellency’s pardon would be in vain if society fails to assist the returnees. We call upon all stakeholders including families, churches, after care groups, business community and society at large to facilitate the ex-offenders’ reintegration.
17. Beneficiaries of this presidential pardon are advised to respect this amnesty by refraining from further committing crimes resulting them in finding their way back to prison. We expect them to live as law-abiding citizens if society is to trust and embrace them.
For Further Information please contact;
ZPCS Public Relations Officer
Tel 762724
Cell 0773393493