Government saves Sh 779,764 within 6 months through Community Service Order (CSO)

Mt Elgon, Friday 9 June 2023

KNA by Douglas Mudambo

The Government has saved a total of Sh 779,764 through Community Service Order (CSO) in a period of six months this financial year between July-December 2022.

In a report submitted to service delivery Committee by the sub county probation officer Nancy Ngeywo on station highlights between the period, there was a total of 46 offenders with 31 male and 15 females sent to different institutions on CSO.

Ms Ngeywo said the type of offences committed during the period under review and put under referrals include 15 cases on dealing with alcohol drinks which was leading.

She indicated that six cases of stealing and gaming respectively, four cases of assault causing actual bodily harm.

"Other cases include theft of farm produce and malicious damage of property which reported two cases each," she said.

The report further indicated that other cases that were referred to their office include creating disturbance, stock theft, possession of wildlife trophy, attempted murder, cultivation of narcotics drugs, possession of cannabis sativa and destroying cultivated crops which reported one case each.

Ngeywo said that the offenders were deployed in Primary schools, Secondary Schools, Health facilities, Deputy county commissioner offices, chief camps and Police stations.

However the probation officer noted that most of the agencies lack tangible projects and when encouraged to engage their clients (offenders) to do tangible work.

"They stated that they require funds and equipment in order to have projects," she noted.

The probation officer noted some challenges facing their office include lack of court in Mt Elgon constituency hence depends on Kimilili and Sirisia law Courts. "This is very inconveniencing and expensive considering that fact that an officer must be on duty at the court daily," Ngeywo said.

The probation officer compared their counterparts who walk to the court while they had to travel to court, adding that the station lacks a GK vehicle considering the terrain of the sub county hence there is dire need for a GK vehicle to be allocated to the station.

She also said they lack of furniture for clients and raised concern of inadequate funding especially there being no court in the Sub County.

Present during the tabling of the report were Senior Principal Magistrate Ms. Gladys Adhiambo who is also the Chairperson of CSO Case Committee, Regional Probation Director- Western Region Ms Judith Mandilla and Bungoma County Probation Director Mr Peter Muchinyi.

Courtesy ; K. N. A