Uladi Mussa, John Mussa and others set free by Chakwera
Former minister of Home affairs Uladi Mussa, convicted teenager John Mussa, former Malawi Electoral Commission Commissioner Linda Kunje’s driver Jones Tewesa have been set free by the State President, Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera as part of Easter holiday celebrations.
Exercising the powers inferred in him by the Chapter 89 (2) of the Republic of Malawi Constitution which gives him the power to pardon offenders, granting stays of execution of sentences or remit sentences, Chakwera has pardoned 200 offenders.
Homeland Security Minister Kenneth Zikhale Ng’oma said Chakwera has done it because the pardoned offenders had minor offences and they demonstrated good behaviour during their stay in prison.
“The Constitution gives the mandate to the state president to pardon prisoners who have behaved well during the time of their stay in prison. This is the time where we reconcile as a country.
“Those pardoned had minor offences and they also portrayed good behaviour during their stay in prison, ” said Ng’oma.
Of the released, Mussa John who was arrested on the case of illegal possession of Indian hemp weighing 134 kilograms and was sentenced to eight years in prison for being found guilty of the offense levelled against him.
However, the judgement on the teenager did not pmgo down well with many Malawians who were calling it as an injustice and wanted Mussa to be just fined and freed from prison.
Artist and United Transformation Movement director of youths, Penjani Kalua commonly known as Freddo led the campaign to have Mussa John fined rather than sent to prison.
On his part, the former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) vice-president for the Central Region, Uladi Mussa was sentenced to five years imprisonment for abuse of public office and negligence of official duties.
Uladi Mussa was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in March 2017 on allegations that in 2013 while serving as minister of Home Affairs he and other officials from the Immigration Department fraudulently issued citizenships and passports to Burundians and Rwandese persons, among other foreign nationals.
