Malami: 320 convicts have applied for presidential pardon

Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, says the ministry has received 320 applications on behalf of convicts seeking presidential pardon and clemency.

Malami said this on Tuesday, at the reconvening of the presidential advisory committee on prerogative of mercy (PACPM) in Abuja.

According to Malami, since the committee submitted its report and proceeded on recess, the ministry has received many applications for presidential pardon.

He said the decision to reconvene the committee was taken following the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on decongesting prisons “in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic”, and the “glaring consequent danger posed to the custodial centres nationwide”.

He said his ministry and the committee secretariat have been “inundated with myriad of requests for the grant of presidential pardon and clemency (320 applications), on behalf of some convicts in custodial centres across the nation”.

The minister said the committee is expected to look into the applications and advise as appropriate, based on facts and objectivity in the interest of justice.

The attorney-general also said the reconvening of the committee is part of the current administration’s commitment to “ongoing justice sector reforms”.

The PACPM was inaugurated in 2018 by Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation.

The mandate of the committee is to assist the president in the discharge of his constitutional responsibility of granting pardon to deserving inmates and ex-convicts, and reintegrating them into the society.

Following its inauguration, members of the committee went round selected correctional facilities across the six geo-political zones of the country.

After the exercise, the president had approved the grant of presidential pardon to two inmates, and clemency to 39 inmates.

Four ex-convicts were also granted presidential pardon.