Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani is one of the most respected and celebrated businesspeople in Zambia. Recently, an article was published on the ‘Mast Newspaper’ of Zambia. This article was published on the 4th of June 2022 and comprised of excerpts from the interview with Dr. Rajan Mahtani. The topic of this interview was death penalty and the recent announcement made by Zambian President Hichilema. On the occasion of ‘Africa Day’ Zambian President Hichilema announced that he is planning to completely abolish the death penalty or capital punishment law. This announcement has received widespread support from across Zambia as well as across Africa. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, who is the founder and current Chairman of the Prison Fellowship Zambia (Prison Fellowship Zambia), has fully supported this announcement from the President.
Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ) is a Christian Outreach program established more than 37 years ago by Dr. Rajan Mahtani. The purpose of this organization has been to provide effective and fair system of criminal justice for the inmates, ex-inmates as well as their families in Zambia. It also strives to provide fundamental human rights and human dignity for the inmates across Zambian prisons. Dr. Rajan Mahtani, in his interview, stated that he fully supports this decision from the President and is ready to support and help the President in establishing this law. Dr. Mahtani also stated that changing this cruel, yet long-established law will be difficult due to significant legal reforms. At the same time, Dr. Mahtani also stated that death penalty is increasingly being abolished across major parts of the world and there is increasing consensus worldwide towards abolishing it completely. He stated that it is indeed a bold, unwavering and humane stance by a President who is compassionate, respects the rue of the law, respects fundamental human rights as well as human dignity and is ready to accept the fact that death penalty is indeed a cruel and inhumane punishment.
Dr. Rajan Mahtani, via his organization Prison Fellowship, has extended support to the President’s house to transform this announcement into reality.
