Mutunga sets free 137 prisoners from Kodiaga
THE Government yesterday set free 137 inmates from the Kodiaga GK prison in Kisumu. It was jubilation at the prisons as Chief Justice Willy Mutunga granted the orders during a tour of the facility yesterday. During the visit, Justice Fred Ochieng’ said he was tasked by the Chief Justice to go through 256 files. He rejected 119 cases. “I approved 137 files out of which 20 cases will be pardoned under the community service order or the probation,” said Justice Ochieng’ who accompanied the CJ to the facility.
Some of the 137 inmates released were serving petty offences sentences, that include possession of bhang litres of illicit brew. Mutunga appealed to them to follow the law to ensure that they do not find themselves in prison again. “We want you to follow the law and to foster peace so that you don’t find your selves behind bars gain,” said the Chief Justice.
He said the government will furnish the prison with law books to equip inmates with basic law knowledge. Mutunga said the judiciary has tasked the National Youth Service with the duty of publishing court proceedings so that they reach the culprits in time for defence. “They are through with the publication of the proceedings in Nairobi and have since moved to Mombasa and we hope they will soon be in Kisumu to complete the process,” he said.
He called on resident judges to ensure instances of missing files in different courts are addressed. Capital remandees at the prison, through their representative Jacob Otieno Obiero, presented a Memorandum of Understanding to the CJ. They cited delay of their cases and lined up seven inmates who have stayed in remand for ten years. They also accused the police of interfering with investigations hence interfering with court matters while preferring several charges against the accused persons.
The inmates said there is need for the courts to determine cases independently from the police and asked the CJ to use his reform credential in ensuring that the police are deprived of their prosecutorial roles. Mutunga was accompanied to the facility by Chief Magistrate Lucy Gitari, East African Law Society Vice President James Mwamu, Judiciary Chief of Staff Duncan Okello and Nyanza Provincial Prisons Commander Amos Misik among other guests. Earlier the CJ and his entourage visited the Kisumu High Court where he met Judges and Magistrates and the court staff.
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