Magufuli pardons 3,319 prisoners on Union Day

Dar es Salaam. At least 3,319 prisoners will walk free after President John Magufuli declared to pardon them during the Union Day celebrations in Dodoma on Thursday, April 26.

The nation celebrated its 54^th anniversary of the union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar.

A statement issued by the ministry of Home Affairs shows that the President has also reduced jail terms of those, who were sentenced before April 7, 2016.

The statement further indicates that 585 prisoners have been released today while the remaining 2,734 inmateswill continue being behind the bars to serve the remaining quarter of their prison term.

However, the statement indicated some prisonerswill not benefit from the Presidential pardon.

These include those, who were convicted for murder attempt, penalty and then have their sentences commuted and those serving life imprisonment.

Others, who are ineligible for the pardon are those convicted for drug trafficking, bribery and convicted armed robbers.

The list also includes those convicted for illegal possession of fire arms, ammunitions and explosives, and thosewho were sentenced for rape, defilement as well as impregnating underage girls.

Furthermore, those prisoned for car, motorcycle theft and the convicts serving suspended sentence under the Parole (Act. No. 25/1994) and Act. No. 6/2002) ofThe Prisons (Extra Mural Penal Employment) Regulation will continue to serve their jail terms.

Also those, who were convicted for abusing offices, human trafficking, found in possession of human organs as well as those, who committed offences after they had received presidential amnesty, would not be pardoned.