No man is above the law; hence, some become prisoners because of their criminal acts. Unfortunately, others become prisoners of war when captured by their enemies. Prisoners are deprived of liberty against their will through confinement, captivity, and forced restraint. However, it often applies to those who are sentenced to serve in prison for crimes done by them. The word Prisoner is a legal term, also known as inmates or detainees in prison, prosecuted by a Judge for some felony. The laws were put in place to uphold peace and harmony to keep society free of violence and crime. Tanzania is surrounded by beautiful islands such as Zanzibar, Pemba, and Mafia and also housing the Kilimanjaro. It is the largest country in eastern Africa formed after the merging of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964. It gained independence with diverse cultural heritage and beauty.
Presidential Release Of Prisoners
One wonders why a president would grant the release of prisoners yet to complete their term in prison. John Magufuli is the president of Tanzania, and he celebrated the nation’s 58th anniversary of independence at CCM Kirumba stadium. It was during the celebration that he announced that “over 5000 prisoners have been pardoned in Tanzania.” The president ordered authorities to release inmates as a move to decongest the prisons. The prison was already housing about 35,803 inmates according to official records. Most prisons around Africa are congested such that it is obvious to tell that there are too many prisoners awaiting trials.
This is not the first time an African president would grant prisoners pardon in his country. However, this is the highest number of prisoners released through a presidential pardon in Tanzania. This release accounts for about 15% of all prisoners in the country. The beneficiaries of this pardon include those serving short terms like a day and a year. They also include those who have a year to complete their term.
Reasons For Imprisonment
- To serve as Punishment to those who go against the rule of conduct in a nation.
- To make convicted offenders deterred from repeating the crime for which they were punished and so that others can learn from their punishment.
- To protect the community from the crimes of the convicted persons especially in societies where crimes such as murder, drug trafficking, and gun battle are high; as reported by Jamaica Gleaner
Conclusion
It is amazing to discover that some people have been jailed over minor offenses. Such as; stealing chickens, having arguments with a lover, engaging in a fight with a friend, not meeting a business deadline. While those that some may think, deserves to be prosecuted and jailed are walking freely in the streets. Others have gone to prison because they lack the finance to hire a lawyer to defend them in their case. And some are in jail because they failed to pay a fine for an offense. There are a lot of reasons why a man can be sentenced to serve terms in prison, which varies according to their offense.
