By Staff Reporter
The recent presidential amnesty, which resulted in the release of over 4,000 inmates, has come under heavy criticism from the Opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC).
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere voiced concerns over the lack of reasonable consideration for the safety of victims and society as a whole.
“While it is globally accepted that amnesties are a useful criminological device to minimize incarceration and encourage rehabilitation, such pardons must be made in a reasonable manner as required by section 68 of the Constitution with due regard to the plight of victims,” said Mahere
The opposition spokesperson highlighted the importance of ensuring that amnesties are granted responsibly, taking into account the impact on survivors of crimes.
Mahere went on to express grave reservations about releasing dangerous and unrehabilitated offenders back into society, emphasizing the release of rapists who have not served their full sentences and have not demonstrated any signs of rehabilitation, posing a significant threat to both rape survivors and the wider community.
“With respect, it is grossly irrational to release dangerous, unrehabilitated offenders back into society. In particular, releasing rapists who have barely served their sentence and who’ve not demonstrated that they are rehabilitated poses a huge threat to the survivors of the rape and wider society.
“Unleashing an unrehabilitated rapist who has not served his sentence back into his community unchecked and with no safeguards to protect victims endangers women and girls and can never be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society,” Mahere warned.
 There has been a public outcry over the release of some inmates who served a few years in prison despite committing rape against minors.
