444 inmates granted special Presidential pardon

The government has decided to grant special Presidential pardon to several inmates who were sentenced to jail over minor offences, says the Department of Prisons.

Thereby, a total of 444 inmates including 18 females have received this special Presidential pardon.

Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya noted that the decision was taken with the intention of minimizing the congestion within prisons.

According to reports, 83 inmates from the Welikada Prison, 54 from Pallekele Prison, 35 from Kuruwita Prison, 30 from Mahara Prison, 28 from Anuradhapura Prison and 214 other inmates from a total of 29 prisons island-wide have been granted the special Presidential pardon.

These prisoners, over the age of 65 years, had been convicted of minor offenses for failing to pay fines and have served half their sentence.

The Prisons Commissioner General stressed that inmates who were convicted of murder, theft, rape, child abuse and other serious crimes will not be granted Presidential pardon under any circumstances.