This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
On May 2019, William Okumu walked out of Kamiti Maximum Prison a free man, a decade after being sentenced to death for robbery with violence and possession of stolen property.
Okumu's journey to freedom was not an easy one. He spent 10 years in prison, but it was during this time that he discovered his passion for law. With the help of the African Prisons Project's (APP) Justice Changemaker Programme, Okumu earned a law degree from the University of London.
One of the 15 prisoners from Uganda and Kenya who benefited from the programme, Okumu used his new knowledge to represent himself in an appeal court. In 2017, the Supreme Court had ruled that Kenya's mandatory death penalty was unconstitutional, and Okumu saw an opportunity to use this ruling to his advantage.
Okumu argued that his sentence had been too harsh, given the crimes he had committed. His petition was backed by the prosecution, who praised him for 'performing exceptionally well in custody and making good use of his time in prison.'
Thanks to the efforts of Kibera Chief Magistrate Hon. Joyce Gandani, Okumu's death sentence was commuted to 10 years, and having already served 10 years and 7 months, he was set free.
Speaking to the BBC recently, Okumu expressed his gratitude and excitement, saying 'there's no English word that can express how I feel.'
Okumu has also spoken about his plans to reunite with his son, who was just 3 days old when he was arrested. He hopes to surprise him in school and play with him in the mud, making up for the lost time.
Today, Okumu is a motivational and inspirational counsellor, offering legal representation to other illiterate and poor inmates. He has also completed a diploma in Theology and continues to inspire others with his story.
