Those convicted of various crimes may begin to serve their sentences outside prison facilities, by performing socially useful work in the city of Maputo.
The measure took shape with the signing, yesterday, of a memorandum of understanding between the Maputo Municipal Council (CMM) and the National Prison Service (SERNAP), an instrument that lays the foundations for implementing this form of serving a sentence in the country's capital.
The agreement was initialled by the president of the Maputo Municipal Council, Rasaque Manhique, and the director-general of SERNAP, David Henrique.
According to David Henrique, the sentence of socially useful work is not applicable indiscriminately to all convicts. The legislation sets specific requirements, among them that the convict be a first-time offender, have received a sentence of no more than three years and have returned the property or made good the harm caused to the victim.
In practice, the measure allows the convicts covered to carry out activities or services for the benefit of the community, unpaid. The work may be performed at both public and private bodies, provided they carry out activities of public or community interest.
For the Maputo Municipal Council, the memorandum represents another step in building an inclusive city, grounded in a commitment to justice and human dignity, while seeking to create opportunities for the social reintegration of convicted citizens.
