First Capital Bank (FCB) group chairperson Hitesh Anadkat on Tuesday handed over a K350 million prison block at Chichiri in Blantyre while advocating for criminal justice reforms.

Anadkat said he moved to construct the prison block following media reports that prisoners are undergoing poor, degrading and inhuman conditions in the country’s prisons due to overcrowding.

“I was shocked when I saw pictures of prisoners sleeping like sardines so close to one another,” said Anadkat.

Before commencing with construction of the 384-bed prison block project Anadkat said he started trying to engage prison authorities and officials from ministry of Homeland Affairs but he faced apathy from the authorities.

“One minister sent prison officials who said is should give them the money and they would get it done, I do not do it that way,” he said

The FCB boss further requested the judiciary to review their sentencing guidance to ensure that some other jail terms are non-custodial which gives offenders second chance and turns them into productive citizens.

“There are some dangerous criminals in there and they need to be there for a long time yes, but most of the prisoners committed small offenses,” complained Anadkat while giving an example of a certain grandmother who stole shoes for her grandchild who could not go to school because she lacked pairs of shoes.

Commending the good work by Anadkat, Minister of Homeland Nicholas Dausi said transforming prisons is one of the greatest goals for the government.