As Christians worldwide are celebrating Christmas and New Year festivities, Malawi President Arthur Peter Mutharika has pardon 197 prisoners. This has also been done in the past by previous Presidents in Malawi in some cases Malawians have felt that the list had included violent criminals who did not deserve pardons from the President.
When President Joyce Banda did her first pardons, there was controversy when a rape convict was released and later it transpired there was some relations links with the President.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security, the 197 pardoned prisoners are those who have served at least half of their jail terms, with good behaviour and were not convicted of serious offences.
The pardon of the 197 prisoners is a symbol of forgiveness as the country commemorates its Christmas and New Year Celebrations, according to the ministry.
