Female prisoners flood Zim jails

ABOUT 156 female prisoners have returned to prison again - at Chikurubi Female Prison more than a year after 195 of them were freed by President Mugabe in terms of section 112 (a) and (d) of the Zimbabwean Constitution, a prison official has revealed.

Giving an update of conditions of female prisoners to Government officials, Superintendent Emelda Chifoda, said the 156 inmates consisted of foreigners, pregnant women and the mentally disturbed.

Prisoners were pardoned by Mugabe towards the run up to the July 31, 2013 harmonized elections. After the pardon only two women serving life sentence remained behind bars.

Supt Chifoda said only one female inmate now faces life sentence after the other one died.

The increase in the number of inmates was now pressing government heavily in terms of resources. According to Chifoda inmates faced hardships of food, blankets, pads and appealed to the corporate world to continue assisting them.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of State for Harare Provincial Affairs Miriam Chikukwa, said the conditions for women behind bars had improved, but more effort was needed in looking after incarcerated men.

Before the Presidential Amnesty there were 18 980 prisoners countrywide against a holding capacity of 17 000.