THERE’S AGENT NEED TO REFORM THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM- HH
September 4th, 2023.
LUSAKA- PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema says there is need for the Minister of Justice to quickly reform the criminal justice system.
President Hichilema says the New Dawn administration will do it’s best to improve the services of inmates and people looking after them in various orisons.
The President said he has not forgotten inmates and that a lot of inmates in Correctional facilities are not prisoners but detainees and that the act of detaining inmates without conviction is wrong and should not continue under the UPND led administration.
The President said this when he addressed inmates at Lusaka Central Correctional facility commonly known as Chimbokaila.
And President Hichilema said that so far the UPND government has pardoned about 5000 detainees since it came into power.
President Hichilema has also warned that he will come for PF cadres who are regrouping in a big way and has encouraged inmates to desist from crimes and not lose hope.
The Head of State referring to himself said he was once in prison like them and that today he is Head of State saying similar thing can happen to anyone of those in prison.
“Government will facilitate scholarships for inmates, improve ventilation and sanitation and build more correctional facilities to decongest the facilities,” he said.
The President also said that there is need to set up homes for would be inmate mother’s and already mother’s so that they can be looked after in a conducive environment.
He says government will quickly get a checklist of actions that will assist in addressing concerns raised by inmates.
And the Lusaka Central Correctional Center Commissioner General, Fredrick Chilukutu thanked the President for the support being given to the facility and urged security wings to participate in agriculture to increase mealie-meal production.
Meanwhile, Minister of Home affairs, Jack Mwimbu said inmates willing to venture in other activities after incarceration will be taken care of and that the visit to Chimbokaila has rekindled memories of the President’s incarceration.
(C) THE FALCON
