As the country continues to mark the national justice service month for the Children, judicial and child protection officers have called on the community to support children in conflict with the law.
They emphasized that children in conflict with the law must be supported, guided, and reintegrated into society with love and dignity.
The officials stressed that even as the justice system plays its role, the ultimate responsibility in shaping a child’s future lies with the family and the community.
Speaking at the Murang’a Children’s Remand Home during Court Users Committee Members (CUC)visit, Dr. Sheila Karimi Nyaga, the Head of Station at Kenol Law Courts, said the justice system is committed to ensuring that children receive humane treatment and hope for rehabilitation.
“We are here to encourage the children incarcerated here and to tell them that there is hope,” she said. “We have 107 sexual offence cases involving children which is quite a high number and this is a wakeup call to as a society,” said Dr. Nyaga
She urged families and communities to love the children and to support them even when they leave remand stressing: “Please keep counselling them. They need love, they need care and they want to belong. Help them become better citizens.”
Dr. Nyaga noted that Kenol Law Courts serves Ithanga and Murang’a South sub counties and majority of the crimes committed by children from those areas include defilement, robbery with violence, stealing, and theft of farm produce.
On her part, a prosecutor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Ms. Emelda Adera, said the department has developed mechanisms to fast-track cases involving children to avoid long and harmful stays in remand homes.
“Every child, no matter the offence, is eligible for diversion and plea bargain arrangements, where charges can be reviewed to a lesser offence,” she said
Adera urged advocates handling children matters to collaborate with the ODPP to explore alternatives to prolonged detention. “Remember, when they are here, they are not going to school. Approach us so we can find other ways of rehabilitating them so they can be reunited with the community,” she noted.
She further reminded the public that children have a right to legal representation, and encouraged lawyers and advocates to take up such matters proactively.
In her contribution, Murang’a South Children’s Officer Ms. Evelyn Miring’u, emphasized the need for parents to be active participants in the upbringing and protection of their children. “Children need to be guided and supported and parents must remain vigilant,” she said adding: “As we continue with the long holiday, be involved in your child’s life. Know what your child is doing and who he or she is interacting with so we can secure their future.” She decried the high cases of defilement involving children in Maragua sub county.
The Murang’a Remand Home currently houses 27 boys and six girls. The Annual Child Justice Month is marked every November and this year’s theme is; “Securing justice for every child – enhancing multi-agency collaboration and increasing budgetary allocation to combat child abuse.
by Florence Kinyua
