Guarantee us due justice, probation officer appeals to government
Elijah Omanga, prides himself in the work he does to ensure justice is served to all within his jurisdiction.
As a probation officer, his determination and empathy have been the most important virtues in his career.
However, being attacked in the line of duty by the same people he has fought to protect two years ago came as a big shock to him.
Probation officers work with and monitor offenders to prevent them from committing new crimes.
They carry through with anything the court assigns to lawbreakers, the most common being to supervise them and to investigate the offender’s history, personal and criminal, prior to sentencing.
Their major interest is in helping members of community that have previously had trouble with the law become productive good citizens once again.
Omanga, a probation officer in Gucha, Kisii County, narrates his ordeal..
Like any other day in his field of work, he says that together with his three colleagues, he had scheduled to visit a family whose son had been murdered a week earlier to enquire on whether or not the alleged killer should be granted bond in the murder case.
“Upon arrival at the home of the bereaved family with three of my colleagues, we were welcomed and given the opportunity to ask questions and find the information we needed,” recounts the officer.
Sitting in a small, crowded room within the homestead, Omanga said his instincts began to caution him. He sensed something was wrong but he ignored it.
“I started noticing a change in behavior among the family members of the bereaved present in the room.
Whispers, hushed conversations, certain facial expressions as if giving out a warning not to say more than was required.
We began feeling unable to settle down. Their hostility growing each second had now become the elephant in the small dingy room,” Omanga says.
“I ignored all this assuming it was just their grief. I knew we were safe since we meant no harm and hoping the family understood that,” he continues.
Omanga says that at the time of visit, John (not his real name) - the man of the house and father to the deceased was not present.
He had instead gone to visit the area DCI officer to enquire more about investigations into the murder.
According to Omanga, tables turned on them when one of the family members called John to inform him of the officers’ visit. - KNA
