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Lusaka. – Zambian President Edgar Lungu has signed a law that will empower inmates with a two week-long leave to visit their families.
Those sentenced to life can be given a licence to go out and with good behaviour, they can never return to correctional facilities.
The Corrections Service Act through the Commissioner General with advise from the Minister of Home Affairs will now allow any inmate to break off for two weeks to visit the family. According to the Zambia Correctional Service Commissioner General Chisela Chileshe, the provision was in the previous Act but President Lungu enhanced it through the Constitutional Provision.
Chileshe assured life sentence convicts that there was hope because President Lungu signed another Act which had a provision for them to be released on a special licence away from a pardon.
He said the Zambia Correctional Service would recommend to President Lungu for a break when a life sentence inmate showed remorse, good behavior and was not a danger to society.
Inmates would never return to correctional facilities if they behaved well.
Chileshe however, warned that unrepentant ones would go back to continue serving life sentences.
However, members of the opposition this is plot to have prisoners vote for the president who is seeking re-election in August. – Zambia Watchdog
Online Reporter