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{
    "id": 479380,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/479380/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 146,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Abongotum",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 165,
        "legal_name": "Asman Abongutum Kamama",
        "slug": "asman-kamama"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, it is not a long one. On 27th March, 2014 the Member of Parliament for Ndhiwa Constituency, hon. Agostinho Neto requested a Statement regarding remand prisoners in our prisons. He stated that many of our prisons are overpopulated with a significant number of the prisoners being those in remand, beyond the stipulated time period. He sought to be informed on the following:- (i) the number of remand prisoners across the country including the average number of months or years they have been in remand; (ii) the county with the highest number of remand prisoners and what this can be attributed to; and (iii) the measures put in place, if any, by the relevant Ministry or Government department to assist in expediting these people’s hearings to avoid further infringing on their rights. I wish to respond as follows: As at 23rd July, 2014 there was a total of 21,022 remand prisoners comprising of 1,283 females and 19,739 males. On average, the prisoners have been in remand for approximately six months. Nairobi County has the highest number of remand prisoners totaling 3,764 comprising 3,422 males and 342 females. This can be attributed to the high population density in Nairobi, high level of unemployment and the high number of referral courts and cases in the city. The Government has employed the following measures to assist in expediting the remandees cases:- (i) The Prison Department has been taking the remandees to court for trial of their cases and also produces convicted prisoners with production orders to court. (ii) The judiciary has formed a task force which is currently developing a policy on bails and bonds. (iii) The Constitution has empowered the Judiciary under Article 49(2) not to remand a suspect if the offence is punishable by a fine only or by imprisonment for not more than six months. (iv) The National Council on the Administration of Justice has formed Court Users Committees at the county level to identify the challenges that hinder expeditious delivery of justice and has proposed effective measures to hasten the trial process. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}