CHREAA Executive Director Victor Mhango has told Zodiak in an interview that the pardon will give inmates Kumbukani Mindiera and Father Msowoya a chance to further upgrade their academic journeys and later help to develop the country in different spheres after completing their studies.

"We believe prisons are a space for reformation. And if the President can pardon these two convicts, the gesture can help them realize their dream in education,” said Mhango.

The request by CHREAA and SALC comes barely days after government released the results of this year's public University intake and the two are among 8,553 lucky students.

Mindiera attained 16 points and has been admitted for a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree at MUBAS, while Msowoya scored 19 points and has been selected to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Culinary Arts Degree at Mzuzu University.

A Mzuzu-based law expert George Jivason Kadzipatike has noted that there is nothing wrong with the President pardoning the two since they have already shown good character in reforming themselves by passing national examinations.

Noted Kadzipatike: ``These two inmates have shown that they are a changed people and it will take the President to exercise power he has to pardon the two”.

The two inmates placed in two different prisons are both serving similar prison sentences for theft by servant. The first prisoner is serving a 7 year-jail term while the second one was committed to 8 years in prison.

The state president has the power to pardon prisoners who have shown good conduct while serving their sentences and can also be considered based on medical grounds