Kamlepo wants jailed Uladi Mussa released
Rumphi East legislator Kamlepo Kalua has requested Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma to ask President Lazarus Chakwera to consider pardoning jailed former Cabinet minister Uladi Mussa.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, he said Mussa, convicted of abuse of office when he served as Minister of Home Affairs in the Peter Mutharika administration, is a national leader and government should consider releasing him.
Said Kalua: “I want to appeal to government. We have notable personalities in this country that are languishing in prison, I have in mind Uladi Mussa.
“May I appeal to the minister and through you this Parliament, to consider the release of Uladi Mussa being one of our leaders in this country.”
In response, Speaker of National Assembly Catherine Gotani Hara advised Kalua to make a formal request to the Minister of Homeland Security.
Ng’oma, in an interview later, said he could not guarantee that Mussa will be pardoned as there is a committee that makes recommendations on who convicts should be pardoned.
He said if Mussa is among those on the list, the name will be submitted for the President’s consideration.
Ng’oma said: “It is the President’s prerogative to be pardoning people and these things depend on the way they behave in prison. If Uladi is behaving well and has served half of his term that can be taken into consideration.
“My job is so simple in this regard. If he makes a submission to my office I will take it to the head of State who has the mandate to pardon people.”
Mussa is serving a five-year jail term at Maula Prison in Lilongwe. He was found guilty of fraudulently issuing citizenship and work permits to foreigners. He started serving his sentence in 2020.
