It was jubilation for thirty five inmates at Kitale main prison after it was revealed to them that they were being released on Community Service Order (CSO).
The move by the High Court in Kitale has committed 31 petty offenders to serve under community service order CSO in a move aimed at decongesting Kitale GK Main prison while four others were released fully.
The local District Probation Department and the Kenya Prison Paralegal Programme had presented the Court reports of 176 cases involving petty offences for review.
There was pomp and celebration at the Kitale Main prison when the petty offenders were released to serve a non-custodial jail term under the close supervision of the district probation office.
The deputy officer in-charge Cosmas Maiko said the facility is overstretched with the high number of inmates. He said the prison host 1189 inmates against its recommended number of 400.
Maiko said the move by the judiciary to commit petty offenders to serve under CSO would help decongest the prison and improve service delivery.
He said those placed under CSO were serving less then 3 years and urged the beneficiaries to exhibited changes bahaviour, discipline and remorseful.
He urged those rent to non-custodial term to uphold good morals to be accepted and integrate with the society.
Prisoners committed to CSO hailed the move and pledged to portray good behaviors while serving in the CSO.
The Trans-Nzoia district Probation officer Rita Kogo urged the Court to speed up the review of the cases to enable decongests the prisons.
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