All posts by : CSP Editorial

Embu County Commissioner Jack Obuo has underscored the government’s commitment to bringing services closer to the grassroots, ensuring that even inmates have access to justice. Commending the paralegal training provided by Crime Si Poa (CSP) to inmates and officers at both Embu Main and Women’s Prisons, he highlighted the impact of the knowledge gained on the broader community. 

“The knowledge you’ve gained is your right. Use it to strengthen your case, train others, and make a difference in your community when you’re reintegrated. As a government, our role is to ensure initiatives like this are decentralized to reach the common Mwananchi, so that justice is accessible to all. We are very pleased with this partnership with Crime Si Poa,” he stated during the graduation of 51 newly trained paralegals 

Mr. Daniel Karuri, Senior Assistance Director of Public Prosecutions, and regional coordinator of Lower Eastern Region representing the Director of Public Prosecutions

There was a carnival atmosphere as the 33 inmates (24 male and 9 female) and 18 prison officers from the Embu Command received their graduation certificates. This significant achievement marks a pivotal moment in the CSP journey toward legal empowerment for all under its “Sheria Mashinani” people centered justice approach. 

The transformative two-week training facilitated by legal practitioners as well as the training Director from the National Police Service, Dr. Monica Njoroge  saw the participants equipped with vital legal knowledge, enabling them to assist others in navigating the justice system and fostering a collaborative approach to legal empowerment. 

Legal consultant at CSP, Ms. Carolyne Njanja, highlighted the importance of providing legal education and resources to the most vulnerable, noting that the program has since established legal support centers and deployed trained paralegals within communities and prisons. “Today’s graduation is a testament to the organization’s dedication to making justice accessible to all,” she said. CSP has since trained a total of 302 paralegals across 6 counties including Nairobi, Kisumu, Kiambu, Kajiado, Kakamega, with the latest one being Embu. 

Senior Sergeant Desmond Mugendi from Embu Main Prison Documentation office noted that the training will change their perspective and make their work easier, especially for inmates unable to represent themselves in court. Similarly, Patrick, an inmate who participated in the training, shared how the experience profoundly impacted his life, helping him understand his constitutional rights and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms, which he believes is crucial for the society. 

Joyce, an inmate from Embu Women’s Prison, expressed her gratitude for the training, stating that it empowered her to understand the law and share this valuable knowledge with others, ensuring that no one remains in the dark about their rights. 

ACP. Horace Chacha, Officer in Charge at Embu Main Prison

Speaking at the event, Vice President of the Law Society of Kenya, Mwaura Kabata, praised the inclusivity of the training, which brought together both inmates and officers, fostering collaboration within the prison community. He urged the new paralegals to utilize their knowledge to help decongest prisons and advocate for justice within and beyond the prison walls. “You are now the champions of access to justice in this institution and beyond,” he stated, encouraging further knowledge pursuit among inmates and sharing of insights among officers. 

Crime Si Poa’s Executive Director, Mr. Pete Ouko, expressed gratitude to the Kenya Prisons Department for their support and partnership under the open-door policy, which has been instrumental in rolling out paralegal services in various prisons, with plans to establish a legal support service center in Embu Prison. He emphasized the importance of leaving a lasting impact on people’s lives through legal empowerment. 

The graduation ceremony was also attended by SSP Elizabeth Chege, representing the Officer in Charge at Embu Women’s Prison, who stressed the importance of utilizing this knowledge to enlighten others, particularly those in remand. ACP. Horace Chacha, Officer in Charge at Embu Main Prison, lauded the program for contributing to the crime prevention strategy by helping decongest prisons. He urged the new paralegals to identify cases, especially involving children, to ensure they are handled with the care they require under the law. 

CSP ED awarding a certificate to a trained officer

Mr. Daniel Karuri, Senior Assistance Director of Public Prosecutions, and regional coordinator of Lower Eastern Region representing the Director of Public Prosecutions emphasized that their role is to ensure justice is served, not to be adversaries to the accused. “You are now change agents, empowered to bring about change. Do not keep the knowledge to yourselves,” he encouraged the graduates. 

Crime Si Poa continues to champion legal empowerment particularly targeting the marginalized and underserved segments of society. The paralegals are expected to take leading roles as torchbearers of justice, ready to make a difference within their communities and beyond. 

By Vincent Gachumi

The Crime Si Poa Access to Justice program’s goal of empowering persons in underserved communities and prisons with knowledge on their constitutional, legal rights and responsibilities, as well as promotion of the rule of law through legal aid, education, and paralegal training services was brought to the fore when our team partnered with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) and Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) in conducting an Open Day at the Embu Main Prison.

In the well attended and engaging event presided over by the ODPP head of the Lower Eastern Region Mr. Daniel Karuri accompanied by four prosecutors in charge of Embu, Runyenjes and Siakago Law stations respectively, the session started with a presentation to persons impacted by the law on the Diversion and Plea Bargain policies followed by a Q& A plenary session.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Karuri emphasized the importance of partnerships amongst justice actors in promoting a people centered approach to justice and commended Crime Si Poa and Embu Prison for hosting the event.  “The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will always be open to partnering and avail their staff for such activities,” said Mr. Karuri. He also expressed his gratitude to the 102 remand inmates in attendance and the 64 inmates who forwarded their cases to be reviewed for Plea Bargain, noting that the diversion and plea bargain policies reduce case backlogs and lengthy trials.

The inmates raised questions about the definition and eligibility of Plea Bargain and on the threshold of withdrawal of charges due to non-attendance of complainants at trial. In their presentation, the ODPP team defined Plea bargaining as the practice of negotiating an agreement between the prosecution and the defense whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offense or (in the case of multiple offenses) to one or more of the offenses charged in exchange for lenient sentencing.

Regarding diversion, the ODPP further shared how it enables prosecution to divert cases from the court process and allow matters to be settled out of court, on merit and through agreed structures. It is meant to provide an option for an offender and give them a second chance in life. Diversion also ensures that individuals avoid a criminal record but nonetheless atone for their mistakes.

Speaking at the function, the Prison Deputy Officer in Charge Mr. John  Kanyugi, standing in for the Officer- in- Charge, thanked Crime Si Poa for the impactful interventions they have been implementing at Embu Main Prison and encouraged the remand inmates to engage in the plea bargain and diversion processes and have follow up questions for upcoming sessions. He further thanked the ODPP for attending the function and reducing the legal knowledge gaps amongst the inmate’s population.

According to Mr. Vincent Gachumi, Crime Si Poa Access to Justice coordinator in Embu County who, together with his team, was integral in the planning and organization of this event, the Open Day was necessitated by the knowledge gaps on specific Court Procedures that they had noticed during the bi- weekly legal awareness sessions at the Prison. “We saw it fit to bring relevant stakeholders on board under our mantra of informing, reforming and transforming lives and systems in promotion of the Rule of Law. We are indeed honored and grateful that the ODPP accepted our invitation to partner with us.” Vincent added.

The Director of Operations and General Counsel at Crime Si Poa, Ms. Sylvia Morwabe thanked the Prison administration for their continued support for the interventions we have in the prison that culminated in the event because of the needs assessment done in conjunction with the Prison Officers handling paralegal issues. “It is Crime Si Poa’s hope that these collaborations continue strengthening since a total transformation can only be achieved when all players in the Criminal Justice Sector work in tandem, “added Ms. Morwabe

The Documentation Officer, Mr. Osborne Obare, who also heads the paralegals in the Prison, highlighted the need for adequate space to offer better support to inmates. He noted that courts have gone virtual and there is every need to add onto and upgrade the IT facilities to enable court cases to be heard seamlessly. He further reiterated the need for building a Paralegal Office as it will reduce traffic in the Documentation Office and improve client service.

The Crime Si Poa Access to Justice Program works in 8 counties and 5 prisons across Kenya on legal support services, legal aid and paralegal training. To support our work, visit our website https://crimesipoa.org/donate/