President Kenyatta commutes nearly 3,000 death sentences
Inmates at Lang'ata Women's Prison celebrate after several of them were pardoned by President Uhuru Kenyatta on December 12, 2015. FILE PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Some 2,747 death row convicts – 2,655 men and 92 women - will now serve life imprisonment.
Thousands of death row convicts in Kenya, got a reprieve from the hangman’s noose Monday after President Uhuru Kenyatta commuted their sentences to life terms.
Invoking the Power of Mercy provided for under Article 133 of the Constitution, President Kenyatta also pardoned 102 prisoners serving long-term sentences. Last week, the president similarly pardon 7,000 petty offenders.
Some 2,747 death row convicts – 2,655 men and 92 women - will now serve life imprisonment.
The Power of Mercy is a prerogative power conferred on the president by the Constitution and entails granting pardon to reformed and rehabilitated convicted criminal offenders deserving early release from prison.
In 2009, then President Mwai Kibaki commuted over 4,000 death sentences to life jail terms.
