Garissa prison releases 69 petty offenders to ease congestion

A total of 69 petty offenders have been released from Garissa Medium Prison to work in community service for the remainder of their sentence period as part of the Judiciary reforms to decongest prisons countrywide.

Kitui High Court Lady Justice Gitari Lucy Waruguru led the exercise for prisoners who had been sentenced by courts in the county.

Speaking during the ceremony, Lady Justice Gitari urged the prisoners to live well with the community members, local administrators and police and warned them against violating their release advice by not going to work in their assigned areas.

She warned that those who fail to report in their community service stations would be rearrested and taken back to prison.

At the same time, the judge noted that 11 more prisoners were denied release due to concerns raised by their parents, complainants, community members and local chiefs on their early release.

Garissa High Court Presiding Judge John Onyiego on his part urged the communities to accept and incorporate the prisoners back into the communities without stigmatizing them.