Justice Defenders on mission to Keep Inmates off prison cells

Naivasha,

Wednesday July 19, 2023

KNA by Erastus Gichohi

Justice Defenders organisation in partnership with the Judiciary and the Correctional facilities has rolled out a paralegal training for inmates aimed at helping them maneuver court trials knowledgeably during their cases.

According to Dixon Mwakazi, the Director Legal, Human rights, Research and Statistics at Correctional Services, equipping inmates with legal skills and knowledge is key to decongesting the prisons.

Mwakazi said out of a population of up to 60,000 inmates in the country, over 15,000 are petty offenders who have been remanded over lack of legal representation and knowledge of the trial processes.

Mwakazi said through the paralegal training, inmates are imparted with the skills and knowledge on how to prosecute their cases, draft their appeals and negotiate for lesser bails terms to secure release.

“Our prisons currently hold over 60,000 inmates but should hold up to 25,000 for optimal operation and service delivery and this program will help to decongest our facilities,” said Mwakazi.

The Director further said some of the inmates have benefited from further studies and have acquired law degrees’ courtesy of University of London to champion the rights of prisoners.

Consequently, he said the prison continues to defend the rights of prisoners including intersex persons to live harmoniously within the vicinity of correctional facilities across the country.

According to Justice Defenders Country Director Miriam Wachira, the organization has reached out to over 20,000 inmates in 18 prisons in the country and has secured release of 6,000 prisoners.

Ms. Wachira said so far the organization has successfully trained 189 paralegals within prisons and in partnership with Strathmore University have rolled out an online paralegal course to benefit more inmates.

Ms. Wachira further divulged that 90 percent of inmates in local prisons lack access to an advocate to help them prosecute their cases in courts due to lack of finances. 

She added that the organization plans to upscale the program to benefit more inmates in all correctional facilities across the country and help them secure their release.

“This training aims to bring legal skills and knowledge to the affected and most deserving inmates to help them understand legal jargons and maneuver the court trial process successfully,” said Ms. Wachira.

According to Cyrus Musembi, an inmate serving a life sentence and a beneficiary of the program, the training has helped him to defend himself and tens of fellow inmates’ during their trials.

Musembi who was sentenced for a robbery with violence offense in 2012 has since graduated with a diploma in Common Law and a Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the University of London.

“Through this training, I  and fellow inmates understand our constitutional rights, draft appeals and present our cases in court and maneuver the court trial processes more knowledgeably,” said Musembi.

The father of two sent a cautioned the youths who may be tempted to involve themselves in crime noting that the vice would eventually usher them in prison for year and thus ruin their lives.

 Courtesy K.N.A