By Mustapha Jarju
President Adama Barrow has been thanked for pardoning twenty-one prisoners which included two females after he relied on section 82 of the 1997 constitution of The Gambia to pardon the inmates.
The inmates including the two female were from Mile 2 Central Prison, Jeshwang Prison Camp and Janjangbureh Prison respectively. They reunited with their families on Friday as they stepped out of the prison at the Mile 2 in Banjul.
Lamin Sanneh, who was pardoned, thanked President Barrow for his bold step to free them from jail expressed that he is now happy to reunite with his family after long time in jail.
He also commended the Ministry of Interior and government for choosing them as the beneficiary of this pardon series one of 2022. Sanneh concluded by affirming that the trust and confidence that is bestowed on them will never betrayed.
Modou Jarju, Director General of The Gambia Prison Service, also Commended President Barrow for granting freedom to the prisoners.
“Hopefully the trend will continue in the long run,” and he further thanked the Ministry of Interior for the support.”
“The pardon prisoner offences included drug trafficking, theft, attempted robbery in dwelling house, breaking, entering and stealing among others. The inmates were released at a ceremony on Friday, 7th January 2022, at the Gambia’s central prison, the event was attended by senior government officials, media and religious leaders,” he said.
Earlier on in May 2021, President Barrow did pardoned 57 prisoners including 10 Senegalese, 3 Conakry Guineans, 2 Nigerian, and 1 Indian.