On the special occasion of Africa day, the President of Zambia Hakainde Hichilema announced his plans to completely abolish the death penalty sentence. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, a noted businessman and philanthropist from Zambia, has supported this decision from the Zambian President. It was a brave but necessary announcement and received widespread support from across the nation.
According to interview excerpt of Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani published at the Mast Newspaper, more than 380 inmates across Zambia are at present under death penalty. These are the people who are continuously looking behind their shoulder, not knowing which day will be their last. Dr. Rajan Mahtani said that this practice is extremely cruel and also there are inmates who have transformed themselves and are fully dedicated to the service of the god. If there is an opportunity for these inmates to transform their lives, live with repentance and dedication towards the god, then this opportunity is taken away by the inhuman practice of death penalty. Dr. Rajan Mahtani further stated that the last death penalty was given in the year 1997 by President Chiluba. Several Presidents after that avoided the death penalty row by mitigating services such as mercy prerogatives. Also, the Zambian Government along with Correctional Services via the Zambian Parole Board have started decongestion of the prisons across the nation with release of prisoners after due diligence. It is to ensure that the condition of the Zambian prisons improve and transformed inmates are given a second change into the society.
Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani further stated that he will provide support via his company Prison Fellowship Zambia. Prison Fellowship was established almost four decades ago with the objective of bringing the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ to the inmates, ex-inmates and their families in Zambia. Dr. Rajan Mahtani has stated that his company Prison Fellowship will provide all legal and regulatory support towards making this announcement a reality.