Tanzanian President John Magufuli has pardoned 1,789 Ethiopian prisoners who were serving jail terms across the east African nation.
The Ethiopian prisoners have been jailed while crossing the country illegally as economic migrants en route to South Africa.
The Ethiopian prisoners are part of 5,533 inmates President Magufuli pardoned the same day, saying the move was aimed at easing congestion in prisons.
He made the announcement during the 58th-year celebration of the Tanzanian mainland’s Independence Day.
Magufuli said recently he visited Butimba prison in Mwanza region and found inmates crowded, a situation that was also reflected in other prisons across the country.
The release of Ethiopian inmates followed bilateral talks between the visiting Ethiopian president Sahle-Work Zewde and President Magufuli.
President Magufuli said both nations are devising ways to release the pardoned prisoners who entered on transit to an unknown destination.
Magufuli said current statistics indicated that there were 17,547 prisoners and 18,256 remand inmates awaiting trial.
This brings to 35,803 the total number of inmates in Tanzanian jails.
MG/as/APA