This archive report was first published on 20 July 2019.
On July 20, 2019, Australian judge Martin Burns sentenced former KTN news anchor Esther Arunga to 10 months on parole over her three-year-old son's death in 2014.
Arunga, a once high-flying lawyer and journalist who founded a church and tried her hand at politics in 2010, admitted to misleading police to help her husband escape punishment.
According to Kenyan Lawyer Robert Mugo, parole allows approved prisoners to serve part of their sentence in the community under supervision.
Arunga will be supervised by the Queensland Corrective Services until the end of her 10-month parole sentence. She must stay in contact with the Probation and Parole staff by reporting to an office or having officers visit her home or workplace.
While on parole, she has to comply with rules set by the correctional service of Australia, including refraining from any crime, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, and informing the correctional services unit of any changes in her job or residence within 48 hours.
Arunga will not be allowed to leave Queensland without permission from the authorities and will be expected to attend courses, programs, meetings, and counselling offered by the Australian correctional service.
At the end of her parole, officers from the Probation and Parole section of Queensland Corrective Services will carry out surveillance to check whether her risk level is appropriate and whether she has breached any of the parole orders.
