President Biya's Executive Grant of Clemency : Over 180 Inmates Freed in Bamenda

Several inmates of the Bamenda Central Prison regained freedom Friday, April 24, 2020, visibly jubilating. Most of the over 180 inmates walked out with shouts of overridden joy, "I'm free" as they crossed the final barrier. Among them was a 16-year-old boy and another, a man, whose life jail had before been reduced to 20 years. This follows the checking of files and selection of beneficiaries by the legal Department in Bamenda in order to execute the Presidential pardon.
President Paul Biya signed executive grants of clemency on April 15, 2020 granting pardons to an unspecified number of persons whose sentences have become final as at the date of signature of the decree throughout prisons in the country. 
The measure is also being implemented in prisons in Bali and Batibo prisons which are under the Bamenda Central Prison as well as in Kumbo, Nkambe and Fundong.
Under the grant of executive clemency, life sentences were reduced to 25 years, those for whom life sentences had already been reduced to 25 years had five years taken away from their sentences. Ten years sentences were cut by three years, five years sentences were cut by two years and three years sentences were cut by one year.
While the Constitution authorises the Head of State to commute and remit sentences of convicts, the President used his prerogative to chose who to pardon or who not to pardon, and in this vase certain kinds of offences have been excluded from those who benefit from the mercy, like offences of terrorism, misappropriation of State property, tax fraud, customs fraud, se...