Stories
September, 2026
⚖️ Justice = Appropriate Sentence
Sometimes Justice Is Not Walking Out of Prison. Sometimes It Is Receiving the Right Sentence.
When Humphrey came to the Justice Nest office in April 2026, he was deeply distressed. He was serving a 30-year prison sentence and was seeking assistance with his case. After listening to Humphrey and reviewing the circumstances of his matter, Justice Nest identified that the appropriate focus was not the conviction, but the sentence that had been imposed. The team found concerns regarding whether the sentence was consistent with the legal provision under which he had been convicted and whether the punishment imposed was excessively harsh.
Rather than challenging the conviction, Justice Nest focused its intervention specifically on the question of sentencing. This required carefully considering the applicable legal provisions and presenting the concerns before the High Court. Justice Nest's paralegal, Joseph, took the initiative to prepare the submissions for consideration by the High Court in Malindi.
The case was therefore not about securing Humphrey's immediate release. It was about seeking a sentence that was appropriate within the law. In August 2026, the High Court substituted Humphrey's 30-year sentence with a 20-year sentence. The outcome was significant for Humphrey who later came to the Justice Nest office extremely happy and expressed his appreciation for the support he had received.
His story offers an important reminder about what access to justice means. Justice does not always result in someone walking out of prison, it could also mean ensuring that the sentence imposed is lawful, appropriate and proportionate. For organisations working within the justice system, this distinction matters. A person may remain incarcerated while still having a legitimate need for legal assistance and protection of their rights. Fairness must apply not only to questions of guilt or innocence, but also to the process of determining an appropriate punishment.
At Justice Nest, we believe that justice must be fair at every stage of the process. Our work is therefore not limited to securing release, it also includes helping people navigate the justice system, understand their rights and seek appropriate legal remedies when concerns arise. For Humphrey, justice did not mean walking out of prison that day. It meant walking away from an excessive sentence with 10 fewer years to serve, this too, is justice.
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