BLANTYRE--Prisoners serving life sentences for various charges, including murder, at Zomba Central Prison in the eastern city of Zomba, some 90 kilometres east of the commercial capital, Blantyre, ran riot Sunday protesting the pardon of two prisoners. As part of commemorations marking 48 years of independence from Great Britain, Pres Joyce Banda Friday pardoned 377 prisoners. She, however, said she rejected 11 recommended names because they were doing time for rape and defilement.

"One of them has serious liver problem but we will bury him if need be because he knowingly doomed the future of young girl whom he raped repeatedly," Pres Joyce Banda  
"One of them has serious liver problem but we will bury him if need be because he knowingly doomed the future of young girl whom he raped repeatedly," she said.
 
But the prisoners at Zomba Central Prisons alleged that among the 32 prisoners lined up for the presidential pardons at the penitentiary was one doing time for rape and another serving life sentence for murder.
 
"These people have been pardoned because they are connected to big people in government and yet the President herself said she wouldn't pardon rapists," said one inmate sentended to life in prison for murder.
 
The prisoners alleged that Eston Kawenga would have served time up to 2017 for rape while George Allan Nyambi was serving a life sentence for murder.

He was convicted of murder alongside Chief Nyambi of the southern district of Machinga for murdering a man found stealing in the chief's garden. The chief has already received a presidential pardon.
 
The irate prisoners broke free from their cells and went on a rampage in the prison ground. They later broke into the prison warders' offices were release papers for the two and 30 others were being prepared. They wrestled the two from the warders and forced them back to their cells.
 
"If these two are released then all of us [in here] for rape or are on life sentence are also going to be released," said one of the prisoners.
 
Warders had to seek help from police to restore order.
 
Malawi Prison Service spokesman Evance Phiri told MaraPost the prison authorities act on instructions to release people.
 
"We are just given a list of those that have been pardoned and our duty is just to implement the orders," he said.
 
Phiri said calm had returned to the facility but the prisoners have since formed a 20-man committee to see to it that the two are not released.
 
"We are planning to go on hunger strike over this," said one prisoner.
 
There are 183 prisoners doing life sentences at Zomba Central Prison renowned to host political prisoners in the past. Statistics show that Malawi‘s 23 prisons, with a capacity of only 5, 500 inmates, currently hold more than 12, 000 convicts.
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©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.