A female inmate at Kansenshi correctional facility has asked President Edgar Lungu consider increasing the number of female convicts being released on amnesty.

Chile Mapanda, a convict serving a five-year jail sentence for theft by servant complained that the number of women being pardoned was too low.

Mapanda said this when Ndola District Commissioner Canon George Chisulo handed over 12 wheelbarrows and 5 shovels to help the inmates.

“Mr DC thank you so much for visiting us here. Look at us when we are released to find jobs. When society looks at us, they just look at convicts despite coming out of prison. When you go to look for a job in the government and they look at your records, it is extremely difficult to find a job. This has made a lot of reformed convicts to get back to their old ways. Always find employment for those that are released from prison. A number of ex-convicts have continued wallowing in poverty because many employers do not accept them after finding out that they were once in prison,” complained Mapanda.

“And currently the number of females being pardoned is low and this has led to those with children suffer mentally as they miss their families. Mr President relook at the years they sentence women. Women are fragile people who are expected to be given some lenience during the sentencing process.”

She said inmates are human beings that have just gone on the other side of the law.

Meanwhile, Chisulo told the inmates that government was working around the clock to ensure that correctional facilities were improved.