Criminal Justice System actors in Nakuru have moved to intervene in the congestion problem at the Nakuru GK Prison.

The judiciary in collaboration with the law society of Kenya, the probation department, the Director of public prosecutions and the prisons department have embarked on the process of decongesting the prison by reviewing some of the cases.

The process involved taking a court session to the prison's precincts in order to review the sentences of inmates convicted of petty offences.

Read: Nakuru GK prison releases some inmates in decongestion program

The event that took place on Wednesday was led by the Nakuru presiding Judge Hedwig Ong’udi who reviewed cases of at least 20 inmates among them 18 males and 2 females.

The cases which were dealt with involved inmates who were serving six months and below by the lower courts.

The petty offences included stealing, causing disturbances, and causing bodily harm among others.

Their sentences were reviewed downwards or substituted with the probation and community Service orders.

“We have released the majority and substituted the sentences for some of them with probation and Community Service Orders (CSO),” Said Justice Ong’udi.

Paul Ngugi was among those who were lucky to be released after serving a month in prison.

He had been sentenced to five months in prison for creating a disturbance when he abused his mother in September 2023, but the court substituted the sentence with six months’ probation with a warning not to repeat.

The judge who was recently deployed to the station said the exercise will continue until the station is fully decongested.

Also Read: Petty Ofenders to Serve Community Service in New Prison Reforms

The LSK Nakuru chapter chairperson Henry Opondo said the lawyers represented the inmates without payment as part of the legal aid to the community.

Mr Opondo said LSK had been tasked with unlocking justice, including offering pro bono (free) services to inmates who were released.

“We are also doing legal awareness week, where we are reaching out to as many litigants as possible. We are targeting litigants with no representation,” he said.

Mr Benjamin Boit, the deputy in charge of Nakuru GK Prisons said the prison is currently holding 1,874 against the recommended capacity of 800.

Related: At Nakuru GK prison exercise helps prison staff deal with mental health issues

“The excess number of inmates in the facility are putting a strain on the little resources available,” he said.

Mr Boit appealed to the government to assist in fortifying the prison's perimeter wall to ensure the safety of the facility as well as prevent the possibility of inmates escaping.

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Decongestion of Nakuru GK prison begins

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Joseph Openda