US outgoing President, Donald Trump, has issued several pardons and commutations at the 11th-hour of his handing over power to President-Elect, Joe Biden.
Mr Biden is set to be sworn-in today, Wednesday, January 20, 2021, as the 46th President of the United States.
And Mr Trump on the Inauguration Day pardoned scores of people including onetime political strategist, a former top fundraiser, Steve Bannon, who has been accused of fraud.
Mr Trump also pardoned rapper
Lil Wayne who pleaded guilty to a gun possession charge in Miami. Rapper Kodak Black received a commutation after he pleaded guilty to a weapons charge.
There were 73 pardons and 70 commutations issued.
Those who received pardons and commutations are believed to be Mr Trump’s allies. Some of them, reports say, have been accused of corruption or lying.
A report by CNN says majority of the pardons and commutations on Trump’s list were doled out to individuals whose cases have been championed by criminal justice reform advocates, including people serving lengthy sentences for low-level offenses.
By Melvin Tarlue