Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu cuts a cake to celebrate Madaraka Day at the Lang'ata Maximum Prison while Nairobi Prisons commander Wairimu Thang'ate [L], Lady Justice Hannah Okwengu and other judges look on, on June 1, 2017. [PHOTO/the-star.co.ke]
The high court has reviewed sentences of 41 inmates at the Lang'ata Women Maximum Prison and released them.
Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu said that 38 left the prison on Friday while the rest will remain briefly before they leave after completing their decreased jail terms.
"Those freed include a Tanzanian and two Burudian immigrants jailed for being in the country illegally with orders to be repatriated after completing their jail terms", she said.
The foreigners were put into incarceration after the courts ordered them to pay respective fines and be repatriated or to serve a given jail term each before the repatriation.
But in reviewing the sentences, the judges recommended that they immediately be released and deported instead of staying in prison.
Mwilu led court of appeal's Lady Justice Hannah Okwengu, the principal judge of the high court's criminal division Jessie Lesiit, and Justice Lydia Achode among others to celebrate the Madaraka Day with prisoners at the correctional centre.
"It is only fair to pardon some of the inmates and the criteria used is based on the behaviour of the inmates and the sentences that they were serving," Mwilu said.