By: Fatou Krubally
The National Assembly on Thursday decided to defer consideration of the Private Member Bill on the President’s prerogative of mercy to allow further consultations between the bill sponsor, parliamentary caucuses, and officials from the Ministry of Justice.
The bill, which seeks to provide a legal framework guiding the President in granting pardons, sparked a heated debate among lawmakers over potential constitutional conflicts.
Some Members expressed concern that specifying committee membership criteria and notification procedures for victims could limit the President’s discretion, a power explicitly granted under Section 82 of the 1997 Constitution.
Others argued the bill merely provides guidance without diminishing the President’s constitutional authority.
During proceedings, it was clarified that committee expenses are already budgeted under the Office of the President, and the bill would not create additional financial obligations.
Members also debated the necessity of notifying victims when pardons are granted, balancing human rights considerations with privacy concerns.
Following the discussions, it was agreed that further engagement would take place between the bill sponsor, the two parliamentary caucuses, and officials from the Ministry of Justice, including the Attorney General, to establish common ground before the bill returns to the floor.
