The decision, which the president said was taken in response to a call by the United Nations to all countries to reduce prison populations, could affect just under 19,000 inmates out of a population of 155,000.

“The president has taken this decision in terms of Section 82(1)(a) of the Correctional Services Act of 1998, which empowers the president to authorise at any time the placement on correctional supervision or parole of any sentenced prisoner, subject to conditions that may be recommended by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board.”

The prisoners will be placed on parole instead of having their sentences remitted.

“The decision taken by the President to combat the spread of COVID-19 in correctional centres could relieve our correctional services facilities of just under 19,000 inmates out of a population of 155,000,” the statement said.

The statement added that the inmates that will be affected by this decision will be placed on parole instead of having their sentences remitted.

“This dispensation excludes inmates sentenced to life imprisonment or serving terms for specified other serious crimes, including sexual offences, murder and attempted murder, gender-based violence and child abuse.”

Eyewitness News