President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has pardoned 230 prisoners as part of this year’s Christmas and New Year Celebrations.

This has been disclosed in a Press statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security released today made available to FaceofMalawi.

According to the statement, the prisoners who have been pardoned are those who have served at least half of their prison sentences, with good behavior and were not convicted of serious offences and some are critically ill prisoners.

“The Pardon of the 230 prisoners is a symbol of forgiveness during the Christmas and New Year Celebrations,” reads in part the statement.

This is the first time in the country’s history for the prisoners to be pardoned during Christmas and New Year Celebrations.

In the previous years, prisoners were only pardoned during the Independence Days Celebrations which falls on July 6 every year.