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Kenyan Aid Group'¯Hopes to'¯Bring'¯Justice'¯Closer to the'¯Defenseless

Brenda Mulinya

   NAIROBI - Isaac Ndegwa goes through legal briefs at the Justice
   Defenders' offices in Kenya's capital, Nairobi.

   The 35-year-old is researching cases to help prisoners'¯with
   their'¯appeals.'¯

   Just two months ago, Ndegwa too was behind bars, serving'¯a'¯14-year
   sentence for a robbery and violent crime.

   But during his time in prison, he'¯joined'¯a'¯Justice Defenders''¯legal
   training program and earned a law degree that helped reduce his
   sentence.'¯

   "We were able to challenge that law, through the knowledge that we
   gained, and my sentence was subjected to the same, to the'¯remission,
   so I didn't serve the whole fourteen years, I served now nine years and
   eight months," Ndegwa said.'¯

   Ndegwa is one of 15,000 inmates who have had their sentences reduced or
   were released from prison through the efforts of Justice Defenders.

   The aid group, which also trains wardens, seeks to make justice
   accessible to vulnerable members of society.

   Miriam Wachira is Justice Defenders' country director'¯for'¯Kenya.

   "Seeing people in prison, behind bars, being able to study a law degree
   and finishing it, that has been one of our biggest success'¯stories,"'¯
   Wachira said.

   Justice Defenders'¯seeks'¯to bridge'¯a'¯gap'¯by empowering those who
   are unable to access justice'¯through the legal process.'¯

   Kenyan high court lawyer John Lewis'¯Onkendi
   said'¯many'¯people'¯can't'¯begin a'¯legal'¯process'¯because'¯of lack of
   money.'¯

   "A lot of Kenyans have a problem in accessing justice because justice
   in Kenya can be expensive," Onkendi said. "By that I mean affording an
   advocate for an average Kenyan is not an easy task and so sometimes you
   find that a lot of them do not'¯have'¯quality and credible legal
   representation."'¯

   Justice Defenders'¯has served'¯more than'¯33,000 people'¯since
   its'¯beginning'¯in 2007.'¯

   Its legal education training and practice serves prisons in Kenya,
   Uganda, and the'¯Gambia.

   Thirty-nine inmates have graduated from the group's law program,
   sponsored by the University of London, and six are practicing law.

   Forty-one-year-old Brenda Ambani is accredited with the University of
   London to teach law for the group. She said the demand for the group's
   services is high.'¯

   "One of our greatest'¯impacts'¯is having people who have studied this
   degree and they use that knowledge to argue out their cases in
   court,"'¯ Ambani said.

   Justice Defenders is run solely through donations.

   The group seeks'¯to have those who have gone through its programs give
   back, like Ndegwa, by helping those who are locked
   up'¯get'¯access'¯to'¯justice.'¯

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