Lamola wants over 6000 awaiting-trial prisoners released
The Department of Justice and Correctional Services wants over 6000 awaiting-trial prisoners to be released on bail.
This as the number of coronavirus infections in the country’s prison system jumped to 605 on Monday.
Minister Ronald Lamola's spokesperson Chrispin Phiri says there is a process underway for the consideration of lowering bail amounts so that these prisoners can go home and ease overcrowding in prisons.
"It is work in progress as it is a process that requires us to identify who qualifies for bail of less than R5000 and to consult the NPA about the type of crime.”
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"We would also have to appear before a magistrate to consider reviewing their bail condition. Because the setting of payment of R5000 is essentially a bail condition, so what we will be asking magistrates to do is, in light of Covid-19, is to review it because some of these individuals cannot afford the bail.”
Phiri adds the process has been ongoing since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
A total of 19 000 low-risk prisoners are expected to be released in a bid to ease overcrowding in prisons and halt the surge of Covid-19 infections.