Prison inmates can now get ‘temporary freedom’ to attend funerals, weddings

Prison inmates can be granted temporary freedom and attend funerals, weddings and other important family functions, under escort of prison officers.

This condition applies to inmates provided they apply to & the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs reckons they are a safe risk.

Only a few who are well conversant with the Prisons Act have over the years, successfully applied for temporary release to attend funerals.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana has implied that prisoners can indeed attend funerals and other important family events.

“Prisoners can now attend funerals, weddings and other important family functions, under escort of prison officers (temporarily), provided they apply & the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs reckons they are a safe risk, prison authorities have said,” Mangwana hinted in a retweet.

Meanwhile, responding to a public outcry some time last year, after a prominent was granted permission to go and attend a funeral, ZPCS spokesperson principal correctional officer Peter Chaparanganda set the record straight.

“The organisation would like to categorically state and advise the public that Felix Munyaradzi, an inmate remanded in custody at Harare Remand Prison, was granted temporary release from prison to go and attend the funeral of his father-in-law by the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi on 14 August 2020,” said Chaparanganda at the time.

-Zwnews