269 petty offenders are set to be released from Machakos GK Prison in a bid of de-congesting the facility.
High Court judge Luka Kimaru on Thursday, said there are plans to release about 5,000 petty offenders in different counties across the country.
Kimaru said the move is meant to decongest prisons that have been housing more prisoners in relation to the required capacity.
According to statistics from the penal institutions, there are currently 55,000 prisoners against the required capacity of 32,000.
However, as petty offenders are expected to be released between April and May, no petty offenders will be released from Nyamira and Taita-Taveta county prisons.
According to Kimaru who doubles as the Community Service Orders (CSO) chairman , not all offenders will be released.
"These are basically offenders serving a sentence of three years and below or who were sentenced to longer periods but have sentences of three years or less remaining," Kimaru said.
Apart from decongesting prisons, the program is set to release prisoners so as to engage in community work as well.
The prisoners will get opportunities to unite with their families after being away for a long time.
It will promote reconciliation and integration with the offended families.
As no petty offenders will be released in Nyamira and Taita-Taveta counties, Nairobi County will have the highest number of 624 with Marsabit the lowest of 26 prisoners released.
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