Philip Yegon and KNA @PeopleDailyKe
More than 2,200 convicts handed death sentence for the last three decades are yet to be executed. According to the Power of Mercy Advisory Committee (POMAC) chief executive Michael Kagika, some of the prisoners convicted of capital offences have been languishing in jail for up to 30 years.
He said convicts on death row remain locked up in various high security correctional facilities such as Kamiti Maximum Prison (Nairobi), Shimo La Tewa (Mombasa), Lang’ata Women’s Prison (Nairobi), Naivasha Maximum Prison, Ngeria Prison (Eldoret) and Manyani Maximum Prison in the Coast.
Kagika said the convicts include those found guilty of murder, treason, robbery with violence, military offences and defilement. He spoke during a national public debate on capital offences and sentence at the Kenya School of Government in Baringo.
Kagika called for the need to decide the fate of death row convicts as he attributed the delay to execute them to constitutional provisions which have put successive governments in a dilemma on whether to hang the criminals or commute punishment to life sentences. The POMAC boss, accompanied by his vice chairperson Regina Boisabi, said the team, on a Presidential directive, is touring counties, to collect public views which will enable the President to make a decision on the fate of the convicts.
Church leaders, human right activists, security agents and citizens who made their presentations during the day-long meeting favoured the move to hand life sentences to those on death row. “A life sentence in this regard, means the person should be retained in jail for the rest of life, until one succumbs to either diseases or natural attrition,” said Baringo based human rights activist Kipruto Kimosop.
His remarks were echoed by catechist George Abiero of Kabarnet Catholic Church Parish, who opposed death penalty, arguing it is only God who can give or take life. They said some innocent people, especially the poor, have been wrongfully convicted and handed death sentences after being overpowered by rich and “connected” complainants, who can afford high-profile lawyers. But security and judicial officers at the meeting strongly rooted for the death penalty for those facing capital offences, saying only such a punishment would act as deterrent.
They said such convicts should be executed seven days after all legal processes are exhausted as provided for by the law. “Capital offenders lined up for the gallows are causing unnecessary congestion in prisons.
They are a burden to the government because they have to be fed, clothed and treated for diseases,” said acting Baringo Central DCIO Bernard Wamalwa, adding that the convicts are known to continue committing crimes behind bars.
An unidentified judicial officer said sentence should remain. “Let us think about their victims, the officers who arrested these criminals, prosecution counsel and even judges who find them guilty,” he said.
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