How I reconnected a young man to his family after one year in prison.

A thread

In 2019, my team and I went to the Kirikiri prison undercover. We presented to be lawyers trying to offer pro bono services. We gain access into the prison and was allowed to interact with inmate. https://twitter.com/Tobijulo91/status/1266386185984843777

When we got in, the first thing I noticed was young people everywhere. Ha! What is this, the strength a country trapped away. I noticed some others, wearing blue uniforms, carrying big logs of wood into the facility. Where are they cutting these big logs? I didn't get the answer.

I interviewed over 100 inmates. Sorrowful stories. I saw teenagers wasting away. There offences were mostly stealing and OBT. But majority of the young men I interviewed said they were raided and couldn't bribe the police.

The case of 21 year old Daniel Johnson was similar.

When I met him. It was obvious life in the prison had beaten him. He had emaciated and in obvious need of medical attention.

He has been in prison for a year. Nobody knew where he was for 12 full months. The police did not reach out to his family. The prison service didn't too.

He said he does not know anyone's number off hand but he remembered his grandparents address. Good! We can find them.

He gave me some address. I went to Alakuko i. Sango. Combed everywhere, I could not find the street he mentioned. What is going on? Did this young man lie to me?

I went back to the prison. You see, at this point, prison welfare officers would have abandoned his matter. He is not the only one in prison and they can now put it in their records that they searched.

The prison don't do it often. So, if they went out to search for your family and they can't find them, that's it. They are not trying again. You're not special. You're in prison.

I went back to the prison. It was at the second visit I realised he has forgotten the busstop.

He rememebered another busstop. I wasn't sure if he was telling me the truth now or if he remembered right but I thought to myself "what does he have to gain staying here forever?"