President David Granger on Wednesday pardoned three female prisoners, thus allowing them to be home for Christmas.
The three women were pardoned pursuant to presidential powers under Article 188(2) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
The trio – Joanna Beckles, 26; Felicia Henry, 22 and Keysha Gibbs, 17 – who were all at the New Amsterdam Prison for various offences were released on Thursday. The women have all served a portion of their respective sentences for larceny and forgery.
In 2015, 60 convicts were granted presidential pardons on Guyana’s 49th Independence anniversary by the President.
The release of prisoners in 2015 caused much controversy after Government had refused to release the names and offences of those pardoned.
The President had indicated intentions to release another 60 young men and women in 2016, but this did not materialise.
In 2017, nine women prisoners were pardoned for Guyana’s 47th Republic Anniversary.
The prisoners, who were all inmates at the New Amsterdam penitentiary, were Kamla Bisram, 30; Malinda Beaton, 31; Charissazan Charles, 18; Sasha Christopher, 18; Jenny Davis, 26; Vanessa Frank, 26; Barbra Hunte, 51; Kamwattie Persaud, 23 and Dhanmattie Seenarine, 47.
