Justice Minister Suggest Community Service On COVID-19 Containment Measures Offenders

Members of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 appreciating pandemic's response intervention at Biriwiri Border Post in Ntcheu Members of Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 appreciating pandemic's response intervention at Biriwiri Border Post in Ntcheu

Minister of Justice, Titus Mvalo who is also a member of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 is suggesting handing community service sentences to people convicted of contravening the pandemic containment measures.

Mvalo says the move will help to decongest both Police and Prison cells amidst a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"Police are enforcing COVID-19 regulations, this tells that a lot of people are being arrested for floating the regulations thereby igniting courts to imposing fines or in default the convicts serve a custodial sentence.

With this, congestion in Police and Prison cells is imminent and exposes offenders to the disease hence new approaches on sentences are crucial now," he said.

He was speaking in Ntcheu Saturday where he also urged law enforcement agencies to devise ways of enforcing COVID-19 preventive measures by intensifying community awareness messages rather than using force on the same.

Director of Health and Social Services for Ntcheu, Dr. Stephen Macheso says 14 health care workers have tested positive and are currently in isolation.

"Human resource has been affected. Some of our health care workers have tested positive to COVID-19 hence compromising the provision of quality services in this pandemic period," he said.

As of Saturday, Ntcheu district has 174 COVID-19 active cases where 28 people have so far died between April 2020 to date.

Read 1357 times

Last modified on Monday, 26/07/2021

Login to post comments
Go to top
JSN Time 2 is designed by JoomlaShine.com | powered by JSN Sun Framework