By Edris Omondi Esq.
(Former County Attorney Kisumu, Founder and CEO Crime Prevention Initiative Trust (CPIT))
Kenya mourns the passing of Hon. Justice Fredrick Ochieng, Judge of the Court of Appeal, a jurist whose vision extended far beyond the courtroom, touching the lives of judicial officers, inmates, and ordinary citizens with equal measure.
A Reformist Spirit in Judicial Welfare
Justice Ochieng believed that judicial independence was not only a matter of law but also of dignity. He often reminded colleagues of an incident where a judicial officer, newly posted to a station, was warmly welcomed by a resident of the town and even offered a house to live in. Grateful at first, the officer later discovered that the generous host had an active case before him.
“This,” Justice Ochieng would say, “is how subtle compromise begins.”
Determined to safeguard the integrity of the bench, he championed judicial housing as a matter of priority. In Kisumu, we worked side by side with him, initiated an MOU between the Judiciary and the County Government of Kisumu, with the impetus of securing housing for judicial officers, a step towards promoting judicial integrity. This still stands as a priority area, considering that judicial officers rotate to different stations around the country.
Leadership in Crisis: The COVID Protocol Rules
When the pandemic struck, Justice Ochieng, as Chair of the Kisumu Court Users Committee and Head of Station, steered the Judiciary in western Kenya through uncharted waters. He championed the Judicial COVID Protocol Rules, enabling hearings to proceed safely and ensuring that justice remained accessible. His rallying cry was clear: “Justice must never be suspended by crisis.”
A Friend to the Forgotten: Inspiring Prison Reform
Justice Ochieng’s compassion reached the most marginalized, inmates. Troubled by their inability to attend court during COVID restrictions, he personally approached me, then serving as County Attorney, with a bold idea: equip prisons with computers for virtual hearings.
This single step changed the course of prison justice in Kisumu and later on inspired me to establishment of the Crime Prevention Initiative Trust (CPIT) prison programs. Today, CPIT has held two major graduations at Kibos Prisons, graduating over 130 inmates in psycho-social and para-legal program, out of prison programs, including biblical and pastoral teachings. These programs have empowered inmates with skills, dignity, and hope for reintegration as against recidivism. That flame of transformation burns directly from his vision of which I proudly aspire to inspire hundreds across this beautiful nation.
A Human Judge, A Human Message
Justice Ochieng was not only a jurist; he was a teacher, mentor, and conscience-keeper. His last message sent on my inbox remain etched in my heart:
“Remember this: the world around you is beautiful when the world around you is peaceful.”
His concern over mental health was impeccable. In response to an article, I wrote on the said subject matter, this was what he had to say ‘mental health issues are now a matter of grave concern in Kenya!’.
An Enduring Legacy
Those who observed him in court recall a man of keen intellect, uncompromising integrity, and deep humanity. He took his work with the seriousness of jurists such as India’s Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer, judges who saw the law as a living force for social transformation.
Through his leadership, compassion, and reformist spirit, Justice Ochieng leaves behind more than judgments in law reports. He leaves a living legacy of justice made real for ordinary people, inmates, and future generations.
Kenya has lost a towering jurist, diplomat and a towering figure in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Kisumu has lost a friend of its people and one of its sons. The family has lost a great father of whom no vacuum can fill. And Crime Prevention Initiative Trust (CPIT) has lost one of its earliest inspirations. Yet, his legacy lives on in every inmate rehabilitated, every judicial officer dignified, and every citizen who believes justice must be accessible to all.
Rest in eternal peace, my friend until we meet again- nind gi kwe.
