Eritrean Solomon Testei feels he deserved the time he spent behind bars and believes that being allowed to leave jail earlier did not reduce the lesson he learnt.
“Mistakes can happen. We are human beings. I would say that 99 per cent of prisoners realise they deserve the punishment and that otherwise they would never learn… but we must get forgiveness sometimes,” he told Times of Malta soon after walking out of the Corradino Correctional Facility.
Mistakes can happen. We are human beings
Mr Testei had been jailed for just under three years for theft and fleeing from the police.
He was one of the first prisoners who left jail yesterday after benefiting from the 100-day amnesty announced by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Mallia earlier this week to mark the election of the Labour Government.
The amnesty has been widely criticised, with Victim Support Malta saying it “impinged on the victims’ right to reparation”.
The amnesty will see the release of some 143 inmates this year and, yesterday, the first group of 32 men and women walked out through the prison’s green, metal doors.
Among them there was David Muscat, who was one week into his one-month jail term given for failing to pay maintenance.
“I used to think prison is like a hotel and prisoners do what they want. But you spend 15 hours a day locked up.
“Even the people there are not the way I thought… everybody has their story,” he said, adding several inmates made a mistake and need a second chance.
His girlfriend, Rita Magro, was overjoyed when he walked out.
“When I was told he was jailed I was shocked. And when I received a phone call this morning telling me he was coming out already I was shocked in the other sense. It was such great news. I still can’t believe it happened,” she said.
Similarly, Robert Zarb yesterday eagerly waited for the release of his 24-year-old son. “I look forward to seeing him again,” he said in an emotional tone.
Nancy Magro spent all morning sitting on the steps outside the Paola prison after her boyfriend phoned her with the news that he was being released early.
“We suffered so much. Before this happened I used to think prisoners deserve what they get but now I know it’s not always straightforward…
“Visiting him in prison was hard. I’d cry the second I left not to show him how upset I was.
“But, thank God, he’s coming out now and I just want to put this behind us and start a new life with him and my daughter,” she said.
Prisoners beat MPs
Prisoners yesterday outplayed MPs, winning 4-1 in a friendly football match organised to raise awareness about the need for inmates to be integrated into society.
The football tournament was organised by the newly launched Rise Foundation that aims to help inmates settle into society once they leave prison.
The MPs included Nationalist MPs David Agius, Ryan Callus, Charlo Bonnici and Labour MP Deo Debattista. PN MP Kristy Debono was present but did not play.
Asked about the amnesty, Dr Debattista said prison should not be a place where people are locked up but it should offer reform.
Victims did not gain from having the perpetrator locked in jail and the concept of victim compensation should he explored, he said.
Mr Agius said his party was all in favour of the integration of prisoners but it had reason to suspect that the amnesty was not granted to help inmates but to fulfil a pre-electoral promise.
Rise Foundation will be organising fund-raising activities today and tomorrow. This evening, at 7.30pm, a barbecue will be held in San Ġwann after which a group of celebrities will sleep outside on the pavement to raise awareness. Tomorrow a car show and car wash will be held in Stefanotis Street, San Ġwann. For more information call 7980 5088.