West Pokot ex-convict wants his inheritance back

An ex-convict in West Pokot County is a frustrated man crying for justice after completing his 35 years jail sentence only to get home and find all his land grabbed.

Isaiah Kisur Korinyang born in 1971, said that he is now being forced to live like a scavenger without a place to call home after his own brother allegedly dispossessed him his land back in 1998 when he was convicted of murder at a Kitale High court and sentenced for life at Shimo La Tewa maximum GK prison.

Mr. Kisur, an ex-convict who hails from Pserum village, Chepareria area, Kipkomo sub-county in West Pokot County is a frustrated man crying for justice after he reached his rural home and find all his  20 acres of land grabbed by his elder brother.

Born in 1973, Mr. Kisur who had been jailed for murdering his wife in 1997 revealed that he is now landless and being forced to live like a scavenger without a place to call home after his own brother allegedly dispossessed him his land back in 1998 when he was convicted of murder at a Kitale High Court and sentenced for life at Shimo La Tewa maximum GK prison.

Mr. Kisur claims that his brother destroyed all his houses adding that it was the shock of his life after being released from prison only to find neither the house nor property he left behind.

“I had a family of two children by then aged 2 and 1 years when I was arrested and found guilty of murder. What they went through I have no clear details since their mother is the one I had accidentally shot dead,” he recounted.

He narrates that he has been jailed in 9 prisons including Kitale, Naivasha, Kamiti, Eldoret, Nakuru, Naivasha, Manyani, Shimo la Tewa, Kibosi and Kodiaga.

“My jailed term was reduced during the Narc regime from 35 -23,” he says.

He said he learned about his house having been pulled down and land fenced off while he was in custody.

“A human rights group visited the home on my behalf but were told there was nothing of the sort. Later I started suspecting this was not good years later when among those who were objecting towards my return when a probation report was being prepared,” he added.

Kisur remembers the warm welcome he received from neighbors and the local administration when he was released last year but the biggest challenge could not be accepted by his own brother whom their mother had divided her land between the two of them.

“I am living like a bird for I have to depend on Good Samaritans and the locals for accommodation and upkeep. When I sense one feels I have overstayed at their place I seek refuge at another’s,” said the devastated ex-prisoner.

He feels the justice to have his land back is being delayed though he is yet to move to court to seek legal redress.

“My life is now hard, am confused because life in prison was good than what am going through now. I sleep in the lodging and sometimes I go hungry, ” said Mr. Kisur who says he was a driver before being jailed.

The victim is now calling upon the government to come to his aid so that he can get back all his inheritance to start a new life since he is now a free and reformed person.

“The government should help me because they arrested me but failed to protect my property,” posed Mr. Kisur.

He explains that though he has various expertise that he acquired while serving the jail term, he cannot put it into practice because he lacks capital and a home to organize himself.

“Before I was jailed I was a driver but now cannot drive since my license stands invalid because of the many years without renewal. While at the prisons I trained painting and salesmanship which I am ready to practice but cannot make it because of the situation at hand,” he regretted.

As advice, Kirur discourages family or community members against taking away property belonging to prisoners since they have rights and families that look upon them for survival.

“Maybe someone thought since I had been sentenced for life, I would not make it coming back home a free man and alive in those all years,” he pondered.

He calls on the government to be taking stock and control of all property belonging to visitors of the state to avoid scenarios like the one facing him since his children have nowhere to call home.

Kisur says that he approached his brother who says that he bought the land himself adding that efforts to get assistance from the government has hit a snag.

He noted that he is now saved and a changed man.

“I now know how to stay with people,” he said.

Her daughter  Anitah Chepkemoi  who had not seen his father says that she used to stay with her aunt who educated her.

“I knew my father was jailed. I  was taken to school by my aunt. We went to our home and asked my uncle who denied us entry. I hustle and stay in a rental house. Sometimes I stay here with our father,” she said.

She appealed to the government to come and save their father who has now become landless and jobless.

“We don’t know anywhere to call home yet our father had land,” she said.