Zimbabwe, Zambia agree prisoner swap
11/03/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
Zambian prisons hold 27 Zimbabwean nationals, while 35 Zambians are currently serving time in Zimbabwean jails.
Zimbabwe’s Acting Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is also the Defence Minister, signed an MoU with Zambia’s Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lunga last Thursday at the conclusion of the 28th Session of the Zimbabwe/Zambia Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security held in Victoria Falls.
State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi said: “What was being signed was an MoU that would enable the Zimbabweans serving in Zambian prisons to be transferred and serve their terms in Zimbabwe and reciprocally for Zambians in Zimbabwean prisons to be repatriated to go and serve their prison sentences in Zambia.”
Sekeramayi said what remained was administrative work to complete the swap – the first time Zimbabwe has entered such an agreement.
Labels: PRISONERS, ZAMBIA
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Deceased Zambian Prisoner Buried in Malawi
Mon 11 Feb. 2013, 13:10 CAT
A Zambian prisoner who died in Malawi's Kamuzu Central Hospital has been buried in Lilongwe. Richard Sakala, 27, of Chief Chinaka's area in Petauke was convicted of theft and burglary on December 16, 2011 by the Magistrates Court in Mchinji. He was jailed six years for burglary and two years for theft, both sentences running concurrently. Late Sakala was expected to be released from prison on December 15, 2017 but was given a remission of two years and would have been freed on December 15, 2015.
The deceased, who resided in Mchinji, Malawi before his imprisonment, was earmarked for transfer to Zambia where he was expected to complete his sentence in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which was signed on September 13, 2009 between the Zambia Prisons Service and the Malawi Prisons Service.
Before the burial on Friday, February 8, 2013, a delegation of prison authorities from Zambia and Malawi and the deceased's relatives paid a courtesy call on Deputy High Commissioner to Malawi Henry Ngilazi in Lilongwe.
Ngilazi regretted the untimely death of Mr. Sakala.
"On behalf of the Mission, I would like to express our sincere condolences on the death of our brother Mr. Richard Sakala. We wish the family God's divine guidance and protection during this mourning period," Ngilazi said.
He thanked the Zambia Prisons Service, their Malawian counterparts and the Eastern Province administration for working hand in hand with the Zambia High Commission in locating late Sakala's relatives in Petauke and Chipata districts.
Ngilazi emphasised the need for closer cooperation and timely exchange of information to ensure that prisoners serving in Zambia and Malawi are properly served and well taken care of.
And head of delegation Chief Inspector Peter Chisanga of Zambia Prison Service Eastern region headquarters said they had travelled to Malawi with the relatives of the deceased because they had an obligation to ensure a decent burial for late Sakala.
Family representative Joseph Nyangu thanked the Zambia High Commission for the assistance rendered to late Sakala's family.
Later, Sakala was buried at Lilongwe's Biwi Cemetery.
Labels: MALAWI, PRISONERS, RICHARD SAKALA
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