Brian adjusted on the hard wooden bench, the familiar clanging of the prison gate echoing in his ears. The Crime Si Poa psycho-educational sessions were the closest he got to a glimpse of the life he’d so carelessly thrown away. Today, a story resonated with him, a cautionary tale about the blurred lines between love, consent, and the harsh reality of the law.
As many Kenyans counted losses during the recent floods that hit parts of the country causing unmitigated disaster and loss of lives, Shadrack Otieno, a casual labourer who ekes a living as a builder and lives in the heart of Kibera slums was grappling with a different matter.
Maryann Njeru, a dedicated paralegal trained by Crime Si Poa, shares a compelling success story that underscores the transformative impact of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). She recounts her pivotal role in assisting her friend Jane Njoki to triumph in a challenging land dispute case.
Residents in Kondele, Migosi, Jua Kali and Obunga areas of Kisumu City are still reeling from a recent spate of an unexplained wave of theft, violence, and loss of lives executed by well informed and organized faceless gangs in the city involving the glint of a blade. It is the same story in sections of Mathare, Kariobangi, Eastleigh, Kawangware, and Dandora areas of Nairobi that have also witnessed a disproportionate level of the same crime.
The raging floods that have hit Kenya over the last two months, claiming 267 lives with 75 still unaccounted for, has exposed the struggle families living in underserved communities face in rebuilding their lives.
By Levis Jilani
In the heart of the sprawling Kahawa West suburb of Nairobi County, lies the urban penitentiary of Kamiti Medium Security Prison. Housing hundreds of inmates way beyond its capacity; with the majority silently wrestling with delayed appeals, separation from loved ones and striving for redemption and a chance at a brighter future, it is here, that a beacon of hope has emerged – the Legal Aid Clinic.
The clinic set up by Crime Si Poa in partnership with the prison administration opened its doors with a mission to provide legal assistance, training, and awareness to both inmates as well as staff. We are giving a voice to those who felt voiceless and skillset to the powerless within the justice system to enable them access justice.
Crime Si Poa legal officer Sharon Jemutai says the clinic will help in securing expedited court dates for inmates to attend their appeal hearings. “Whereas some inmates have been wrongfully convicted and need to seek justice, others who have been found guilty need to go through the correction and rehabilitation process to rejoin society upon release as productive members. To that end, Crime Si Poa has dedicated time to assist inmates in matters related to the criminal justice system. ” Sharon says.
Many inmates suffer due to delayed cases and appeals. They face systemic poverty induced barriers to accessing justice. “While many inmates may not be aware of their right to expeditious determination of judicial matters, limited access to legal resources and representation hampers their right to fair trial.” Sharon adds.
According to the Kenya Prisons Service, the surge in numbers of the prison population has resulted in overcrowding and challenges in providing inmates with a conducive environment for serving their sentences and access to technical skills training that they can apply upon reintegration into society.
Kamiti Medium Prison primarily houses inmates serving sentences of less than ten years. The bi-weekly Crime Si Poa legal awareness sessions have proved to be a big hit with measurable impact within the first month of operation. We are launching, in the first week of October, the training of 40 inmates and staff as paralegals under a Ford Foundation sponsored project. This comprehensive training will be a major boost for inmates who will be taught legal skills on self-representation and leadership, as well as staff who will not only assist the inmates for sustainability of the project, but who will also run awareness sessions amongst other officers.
During her inaugural visit at the Prison, Permanent Secretary, State Department of Correctional Service Ms. Salome Muhia-Beacco stated that the government was working to decongest its prisons and empower the inmates through technical training and skills building that will serve them well in their communities upon their release.
Sharon adds that Crime Si Poa is committed to growing the transformational partnership with the prison department.
To know more about our work in prisons and how you can support, visit : Prison and Reintegration Program (Phoenix) – Crime Si Poa
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March continued to be a busy month for Crime Si Poa (CSP). This month, we conducted our largest paralegal with the training of a cohort of 74 youth and community leaders from Kisumu and Vihiga Counties.
March continued to be a busy month for Crime Si Poa (CSP). This month, we conducted our largest paralegal with the training of a cohort of 74 youth and community leaders from Kisumu and Vihiga Counties.
March continued to be a busy month for Crime Si Poa (CSP). This month, we conducted our largest paralegal with the training of a cohort of 74 youth and community leaders from Kisumu and Vihiga Counties.
On Friday 26th November 2021, 200 youth from Nakuru County, participated in a civic education session on active citizenship, access to justice and the institutions around it, and how they can avert being in conflict with law enforcement authorities in Kenya.
During the session held at the Nakuru Players Theatre, most youths from Nakuru town and its environment complained of victimization and unwarranted arrest from the law enforcement officers. This has led most youths to lose trust and hope in the system.
“We have been arrested countless times while going about our boda boda business. Unfortunately, we had to part away with money even though we had done no wrong. The boda boda owner also had to bribe the police despite proving that we had not broken any law,” said John, one of the youths attending the meeting.
This was echoed by fellow youth who have found themselves wrongfully arrested for crimes they haven’t committed.
However, according to the police representative present, Ann W Lucy most youth should make efforts to know their rights and how to defend themselves rather than rushing to bribe even in incidences where they are innocent.
“Our offices are open for complaints, especially where youth have been victimized by law enforcement officers. Always report such incidences to enable us to reform the police force and offer better services to citizens,” said Ann W Lucy.
Other than a representation from the National Police Service, the event organized by the Youth Safety Awareness Initiative (Crime Si Poa ®) was also attended by representatives from the Office of The Director of Public Prosecutions, Boda Boda officials, and civil society players from the region.
Youth were urged to ensure they participate in public discourse on issues affecting them and exercise their civic duties and democratic rights such as registering as voters to be able to elect viable leaders who will represent their interest at all levels.
“Youth must engage in decision-making, especially by participating in the electoral process come 2022. As a youth, we must ensure we vote in leaders who have our interests at heart and will represent our issues at both the county and national level,” concluded, Abubakar Bilal of Uraia.
From the intense engagements during the forum, it was noted that there is a need for more collaborative efforts to help tackle issues of youth, civic education, and crime. The Crime Si Poa team promised to organize more forums to foster a crime-free society.
