Trump pardons his former strategist Steve Bannon, 70 others in final act of clemency

Washington, Jan 20: President Donald Trump has pardoned his former chief strategist Steve Bannon, in a last minute decision, hours before he is scheduled to depart the White House.

Trump granted full pardon to Bannon, who was pursued by prosecutors with charges related to fraud stemming from his involvement in a political project, the statement from the White House read.

Bannon was a key adviser to Trump during his 2016 campaign was charged in August last with fraud over a fundraising campaign to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.

Rappers, Lil Wayne and Kodak Black as well as for the former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick were also pardoned. While the rappers were were prosecuted on weapons charges, Kwame Kilpatrick is serving a 28-year prison term on corruption charges.

A pardon cancels a criminal conviction, while a commutation shortens or ends a prison sentence. The US president has virtually unlimited power to pardon when it comes to crime charged in a federal court.