Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani Supports Death Penalty Abolishment

On the special occasion of Africa Day, President Hakainde Hichilema announced that he is planning to abolish the cruel, inhumane and degrading practice of death penalty. This announcement quickly became a national news a caught the attention of journalists, businessmen and lawmakers. Also, the announcement has received widespread support including noted businessman and philanthropist Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani. Dr. Rajan Mahtani is the owner of Prison Fellowship which is a noted Christian Outreach program focussing on bringing the gospel & teachings of Jesus Christ to the prisoners, ex-prisoners as well as their families in Zambia.

Furthermore, Dr. Rajan Mahtani also highlighted the degrading conditions of the Zambian prisons. According to several Vice-Presidents and acting Presidents visiting the prisons and maximum facilities in Zambia, the condition is critical and next to hell. As such, the government of Zambia has partnered with several institutions such as Parole Institute of Zambia and Zambia Correctional facility. The objective is decongestion of the Zambian prisons by transforming the prisoners, changing them into law abiding and god-fearing citizens and slowing ensuring their entry into the society. As such, the practice of death penalty is identified as a crude and regressive practice considering all these initiatives takes by the Zambian government. In fact, the last time capital punishment was announced in Zambia was in the year 1997 and was given by President Chiluba. The person was executed. Since then, Presidents have been tactically avoiding death penalty by using mercy pleas and other tactics. Dr. Rajan Mahtani highlighted the fact that though past presidents have tactically avoided death penalty, none of them actually worked towards abolishing this inhuman practice from its core. As such, Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani praised the Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema for his bold and long-due announcement.

Dr. Rajan Mahtani has extended his support to this announcement by stating that his company Prison Fellowship will provide legal and regulatory support towards this decision.