Uganda Prisons is set to release more prisoners as a measure to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease.

According to the prisons chief commissioner, Dr. Johnson Byabashaija, more than 400 debtors will be released to ease the congestion in the prisons countrywide.

While speaking on a local television, Byabashaija revealed that they were looking at releasing mostly debt prisoners.

Byabashaija also told noted that the prisoners were to be released because social distancing is impossible inside and movement in and out of facilities is common.

This shall be the second time that the government is releasing prisoners since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. In April, the government said they over 2,000 prisoners had been pardoned, mostly petty offenders who had already served at least three-quarters of their sentences, breastfeeding mothers and inmates aged above 65.