Government to release 4,600 petty offenders

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i making his address at the Kenya School of Government on April 28, 2022. [Stephanie Wangari, Standard]

More than 4,600 petty offenders are set to be released from prison in the coming months, Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang’i has said.

Matiang’i said the decision was made to decongest the correctional facilities and also save on costs of running the prisons.

Matiang’i said the Interior ministry has reached the decision after consulting the Judiciary.

“We are keeping some of the offenders because of fines as low as Sh600. Others are being held in custody for parking at undesignated places,” said the CS, who spoke at the Kenya School of Government on Thursday, April 28.

Some 4,620 petty offenders will be released starting May 2022.

Matiang’i said since January 2022, at least 3,000 inmates had been released but on condition that they engage in community service.

As of today (April 28, 2022), Kenya has 53,438 prisoners across all its correctional facilities.

Out of these, 30,689 are convicted offenders, while 22,799 are inmates, the Interior ministry said.