This is the second time that the prison has pardoned inmates who performed well in the national exams as a way of encouraging inmates to focus on education.
The inmates who were freed are Ezekiel Gichuhi who scored an A- and Maurice Onyango who got B.
Both inmates were serving five years for different cases of attempted robbery and had each served four years of their jail term.
The officer in charge of the prison Patrick Mwenda said that the inmates had taken advantage of the rehabilitation programme and had even obtained diplomas in theology.
In letters to the law courts, the senior officer applied to have their remaining jail terms revised and granted probation.
“The two qualify to join public universities and they have served their sentences without any disciplinary offence which is a clear indication that they have reformed,” he said.
Mwenda said that the two could serve the country better outside prison and that they would be resourceful and reliable citizen to the society.
He pointed out to Gichuhi saying that due to his high discipline levels in prison, he had been turned into a trustee.
“He is of good conduct and co-operates well with both inmates and members of the staff which led to his promotion,” said the letter in part.
The senior officer said that the education programme in the penal institution had turned out to be an effective tool of rehabilitation.
Despite facing various challenges like lack of teachers and learning materials, he said the more inmates had joined the programme.
“Initially when we started the programme there were very few students but over 1,300 inmates are in class taking various courses,” he said.
In 2009, an inmate Tony Mabuka scored an A- in the KCSE and was set free to join the University of Nairobi.
“Mabuka is currently undertaking a degree in veterinary medicine and we shall continue to support inmates doing well in their education,” he said.
Source: Standard Digital
