THE parole system will now allow every prisoner to apply for early release regardless of the nature of sentence they are serving and the prison system will now cater for the needs of pregnant women, juvenile offenders and persons with disabilities.
Currently only female prisoners, juveniles under the age of
18 years, prisoners serving 36 months and below, and all prisoners aged 60 and
above, except those convicted of specified offences, qualify to benefit from
parole.
In her post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Information,
Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Cabinet
approved the Prisons and Correctional Services Bill 2022, which also provides
for, among other things, the establishment of correctional community centres
throughout the country, which will essentially be open prisons.
These centres will also ensure decongestion of prisons as
certain prisoners will be released from standard prisons to reside in such
community centres.
They will also serve the purpose of easing the transition
of inmates from incarceration life to community life.
“Cabinet considered and approved the Prisons and
Correctional Services Bill 2022 as presented by the Minister of Justice, Legal
and Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi as chairperson of the
Cabinet Committee on Legislation.
Cabinet advises that the parole system will be broadened to
provide for the eligibility of every prisoner to apply for parole regardless of
the nature of the sentences they are serving,” she said.
The Prisons and Correctional Services Bill 2022 seeks to
modernise the prisons legislation with a view to ensuring that it meets
international norms and standards regarding prisons administration, including
the way prisoners are treated.
“This includes focusing on restorative justice through
rehabilitation rather than incarceration of offenders.
The Prisons and Correctional Services Act will ensure that
the prison system caters for the needs of the vulnerable groups such as
pregnant women, juvenile offenders as well as persons with disabilities and
other special categories in society that have special needs,” said Minister
Mutsvangwa.
She said the legislation further seeks to promote community
involvement in the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional
Service (ZPCS) in order to ensure that prisoners will not
face difficulties and hostilities being accepted back into communities and
within their families.
“The Prisons and Correctional Service Act will extend an
inmate’s right to consult with a medical practitioner of their choice at their
own expense.
In tandem with the Constitution, the legislation affords
inmates access to their lawyers before and during their trials,” she said.
The Minister said Cabinet also approved the Principles of
the Witness Protection Bill 2022.
The Witness Protection Bill seeks to fill the gap in the
law by establishing legislation to provide for witness protection in Zimbabwe.
The absence of adequate witness protection mechanisms has
resulted in the police taking the responsibility of protecting witnesses.
“Cabinet reports that the purpose of the Bill is to provide
for the establishment of an office that caters for the protection and placement
of witnesses under temporary, interim and permanent protection.
The Bill seeks to regulate the powers, functions and duties
of the office,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.
“Furthermore, the Bill will establish the necessary
procedures and measures on how witnesses are put into the witness protection
programme.” Chronicle
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