As part of activities to mark 53 years of Sierra Leone's independence, President Ernest Bai Koroma yesterday freed 188 prisoners from across the country using his power of presidential pardon. They included 113 from Freetown and 75 from the provinces.
Two women were freed from Freetown and two others from the provinces.
It brings to 345 the total number of prison releases so far this year after 157 were let go of on New Year's Day.
The PRO of Prisons, Mohamed Jimmy said that in addition to yesterday's releases, five condemned prisoners had their sentence commuted to life imprison.
He said the freed men and women were those serving jail terms for "minor offences" including traffic-related ones, obtaining money by false pretence and loitering.
Two, he said, were freed on medical grounds.
(C) Politico 29/04/14
