A lady convicted of the murder of her boyfriend in 2015 has graduated with a law degree at the Kamiti Prison.
Ruth Kamande was arrested and tried for stabbing her boyfriend Farid Mohamed Halim 25 times leading to his death on September 20, 2015, at Buruburu estate and was sentenced to death.
Later, a media report published on November 6, 2020, indicated that Kamande appealed the sentence to the Court of Appeal which also upheld her death sentence.
In a graduation ceremony on Tuesday, November 26 at Kamiti Maximum Prison, Kamande stepped forward for the special occasion where she would be conferred a law degree.
In her speech, Kamande expressed her excitement while lauding her fellow inmates who graduated.
“We are here to celebrate this new chapter with a new story which all of you have participated in rewriting it. We are here to celebrate graduands. But we are not only here, to celebrate graduands from the University of London but graduands who have successfully studied law behind bars,” Kamande stated in a speech.
“Graduands whose stories have been uniquely rewritten by all of you. Look at our product, Mr. Hamisi Mzari who was once an inmate, studied law behind bars but now he is practicing law at the bar as an advocate of the high court of Kenya.”
Also Read: Sheikh Guyo Gorsa, chooses to Remain at Kamiti Prison Despite Court Setting Him Free
Ruth Kamande Applauds the KPS
At the same time, Kamande lauded the Kenya Prison Services (KPS) for transforming and rehabilitating the inmates into the individuals they are today.
On his part, Alexander McLean, the Founder of Justice Defenders, stated that the group is a community of overcomers. He noted that the team overcame challenges when the money ran out and when they faced the challenges of getting into prison.
“We overcame when we pulled against each other, not knowing how to be one as a community of people in prison and free. A community of black and white a community of laws and not,” McLean stated.
He charged the graduands to serve those who have been rejected noting that they have been waiting for them.
Additionally, McLean asked them to stay humble and listen deeply, in the same manner that he tried to love and encourage them and loved them as a brother.
Also Read: Muslim Cleric Sheikh Guyo Gorsa Forced Out of Kamiti Prison
Lawyer and Former Convict
Hamisi Mzari, a lawyer and former convict said that the graduands consist of men and ladies who could be seen when visiting the Kenya Law Reports.
“You will see a name like Philip Mweke Maingi, Isaac Kimaru Ndewa, Joseph Kaberia Kainga and 11 others. These were inmates, these were people who filed petitions in various courts including the Supreme Court and were successful.
“These were trained as lawyers through the partnership with the University of London. These were people who were trained as lawyers and paralegals,” Hamisi stated.
According to the Kenya Prisons Service, 29 individuals who successfully completed legal studies under a transformative partnership graduated on Tuesday.
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