Attorney General Writes to Prisons Authorities to Submit List of Pardoned Prisoners

The Attorney General William Byaruhanga has written to Commissioner General of Prisons Johnson Byabashaija seeking the lists of prisoners that should be pardoned.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, the Uganda Prisons Services spokesperson Frank Baine said the submission is supposed to be done by Friday this week.

“I want to inform you that the prerogative of mercy committee through its chair, the Attorney General has written to Commissioner General of prisons to submit the lists of prisoners that fit in the category of those to be pardoned,” said Baine.

Due to COVID 19 outbreak, the Uganda Prisons Services has come up with the initiative to release minor offenders in order to reduce congestion in prisons as one of the ways to contain the spread of COVID 19 pandemic.

Baine however, said the lists are strictly to include minor offenders. Minor offenders are those convicted for committing misdemeanours.

“They include all those who have finished three quarters of their sentence, pregnant mothers, suckling mothers, the terminally sick and the elderly above 60 years of age,” he said.

Further guidance, the prisons mouthpiece said, was given by the Attorney General to write to Chief Justice seeking for authority to release all the minor offenders that have clocked their mandatory period of 60 days which will as well be done by Friday this week.

He however clarified that the Prisons submit the lists of those to be pardoned to the Attorney General, the Attorney General sits with his committee and give advice to the President.

The decision to release or not release however rests with the President.