President Mugabes ruling government will grant amnesty to nearly 5,000 prisoners to reduce prison numbers in an effort to clean up the countries prison system which is currently overcrowded by about 50%.
People over the age of sixty, women imprisoned because they had an abortion, hid their pregnancy or dumped their baby before April 18 this year will all be granted amnesty, as well as breastfeeding mothers, and those people serving a 2 year sentence.
Those who will not be pardoned are repeat offenders, and those who tried to escape from prison before the 18th of April 2002. The pardoning is a traditional Mugabe move, and under Zimbabwe law is entirely legal, and up to the presidents discretion.
