Mali's transitional president Assimi Goita has granted a presidential pardon to French national Yann Vezilier, two months after he was sentenced to 20 years in prison over an alleged plot to destabilise the military-led government.

Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema, in commemorating Africa Freedom Day, has exercised his prerogative of mercy on 1,505 inmates whose jail sentences have been pardoned.

Of the number, 708 inmates have been released, while 797 inmates had their sentences commuted to terminable sentences.