MALAWIS President Bakili Muluzi on Monday ordered the release of 880 prisoners convicted of minor offences. “You are here to be reformed and not to be punished,” Muluzi said when he visited Zomba prison, the biggest in the country, situated about 60 kilometres outside Blantyre. He explained that the gesture was to mark Malawi’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on July 6. Malawi became independent from Britain in 1964. Malawi counts 21 prisons with around 7,000 inmates. Zomba alone has about 2,000 prisoners. – AFP