…only 6 women benefit from Presidential pardon
SHANNISE DZOBO
MASVINGO – Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) in Masvingo released 398 prisoners after President Mnangagwa issued a clemency order to decongest prisons.
A total of 4 270 inmates were released yesterday across the country to improve living conditions in the correctional institutions which had more than 22 000 prisoners exceeding their holding capacity by over 5000.
However, some residents in the ancient city were not at easy to welcome the ex-convicts as some of them who previously benefited from the amnesty did not take time before they went back after committing worse crimes.
Examples are abound of ex-prisoners who only tasted freedom for some hours and were back in the dock after committing worse crimes.
The most recent that quickly comes to mind is that of Tafadzwa Kanengoni aka Soda Water who gunned down famous Sisk area tuckshop owner, Mike Munhungowarwa in January this year after he was pardoned from prison last year.
An ex-convict who appeared on one of the national radio stations on Sunday (21-15-23) during a special program on ex-convicts said the prison system is a double edged sword as it can make one a hard core criminal or a born again Christian depending on the association when inside.
“I was convicted of rape after I forced my girlfriend of 6 months to have sex with me when she was a virgin and I was reported due to pressure from her relatives.
“Fortunately, I chose Jesus, honestly it is possible for one to become a worse criminal after release from prison, because you meet people who will tell you that I used to steal millions, but I was only caught after stealing 10 dollars, so one can decide to go either way depending on their associations while in prison.
“One can be convicted for stealing a chicken but when released can come back and kill a human being after becoming a hard core criminal due to circumstances in jail,” said the man who served 6 years after being sentenced to 9 years some 15 years ago.
“Americans and the British citizens are both denouncing the prison system. Prisons drain human capital and increase poverty. The war should not be against prisoners but against the entire prison system.
“It is actually a breeding ground for criminality, it creates a cycle that once you are caught up in you will not come out. It is the child of a person sentenced to 3 years in prison for a break -in who will become a hard-core gangster/robber.
“So unbeknown to society by sending people to prison we are going right into the trap.
“In our African culture dispute resolution was compensation based even for death of another person. Such that both families could still go on despite the unfortunate incident without affecting the rest of the family.
“Now prisons ensure that when a breadwinner is arrested those behind will struggle to the core until they become criminals themselves.
“The Americans and British are now advocating for restorative Justice practices which they took away from us by introducing prisons here.
“As usual we are going to be the last people to catch on. Prisons give a false sense of security because sometimes the innocent are arrested and the guilty left wondering. People don’t report crimes because of fear of even being a witness so as much as some criminals are outside a lot too are sitting next to you in the taxi, bank queue or supermarket.
“The opposite of what has been instilled in us is true and that is love care and support will reduce criminal behavior,” said Rhodene based philanthropist.
Of the 4270 inmates, 4166 are men while the other 104 are women and all the provinces have started releasing them.
In Harare 770 men and 20 women were released, Bulawayo has a total of 688 inmates with 680 men and 8 women tasting freedom, Midlands has 537 inmates with 527 men and 10 women leaving confinement.
In Manicaland there are 552 inmates of those 543 are men and 9 women, in Mashonaland East they are releasing 358 men and 39 women, Mashonaland West has 333 men and 7 women leaving prison, in Mashonaland Central has 204 men and only two women and Masvingo Province has 392 men and 6 women being set into society.
Matabeleland North has 230 men and only one female inmate to be released and Matabeleland South has 131 inmates with 129 men and 2 women enjoying the Presidential pardon.
ZPCS national spokesperson, Chief Superintended Meya Khanyezi appealed to families and society at large to accept the released prisoners in their homes and in the community.
“We would like to appeal to close family members, stakeholders and society at large to embrace and accept inmates who have been released on amnesty. Successful reintegration of inmates back into society is not the sole mandate of ZPCS alone, but it requires combined efforts from all citizens of Zimbabwe.
“These inmates were being rehabilitated and have been serving for the offences they committed against the State. Therefore, the aggrieved are encouraged to forgive them for their successful reintegration into society”, she said.
This year’s amnesty was granted to prisoners serving time for non-violent offences or those who had served for at least one third of their jail term, some jailed for serious violent crimes could still benefit but they should have served at least three quarters of their sentences.
