Kenya’s first police procedural series to premiere this month
A new gritty police procedural and legal show set in Nairobi is set to premiere later in the month.
‘Crime & Justice’ will premiere on February 22.
The show will feature a heavy-weight cast with Sarah Hassan (Plan B, How to Find a Husband) and Alfred Munyua (Poacher, The First Grader, Sense8) starring as Makena and Silas curtesy of Showmax and CANAL+ who are behind the production.
The gritty police procedural and legal show will have Makena and Silas play two detectives who follow and investigate one ripped-from-the-headlines case per episode, all the way through to the courtroom verdict.
Speaking about the show, Munyua said he loved the delivery and realness of Silas as a character. “When I first read the script, I loved the delivery and realness of Silas as a character. It’s not exaggerated and he’s no Rambo hero; he just tackles his cases the normal way. I found a very real edge with this script, and I hope I’ll do justice to the role.”
Hassan said she is looking forward to playing a detective for the first time in her career. “This is a very different character; I’ve never played anything like Makena before. It’s very exciting to get a character that makes me grow as an actor.”
Hassan and Munyua are joined by Maqbul Mohammed (Varshita, Auntie Boss) as DCI Boss Kebo, Paul Ogola (Sense8, Kati Kati) as Prosecutor Sokoro and Brian Ogola (Lusala, Disconnect) as Caleb, the resident pathologist, as well as the stage and screen legend John Sibi-Okumu (The Constant Gardener, The First Grader), Muhugu Theuri (Pillow Talk, Pieces of Us), Brian Abajah (Sincerely Daisy), Martin Githinji (Sue na Jonnie, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind) and Justin Mirichii (Rafiki, Watu Wote) in guest roles.
Crime & Justice is directed and produced by Adam Neutzsky-Wulff, whose slate of films and series include ‘All The Little Things We Kill’, starring Elizabeth Marvel (House of Cards, Homeland), and ‘You Are Here’, starring Teen Choice nominee Jason Dohring (Veronica Mars, iZombie, The Originals), Peter Vack (Love Life, The Bold Type), Lea Thompson (Switched at Birth, Back to the Future) and MTV Movie Award winner William Baldwin (Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl, Parenthood).
Working alongside Adam in the production team is an all-star Kenyan crew. While this is the first Kenyan Showmax Original, it is not the first foray into original Kenyan content for the MultiChoice Group, Showmax’s parent company.
Yolisa Phahle, CEO of MultiChoice Connected Video, said they are fundamentally an African business and are invested in telling African stories that reflect the lives, languages and cultures of the continent.
“We believe in African talent and look forward to shining the international spotlight on not only Kenyan stars but the Kenyan technical industry’s capabilities.”
Crime & Justice follows the announcement of the first Canal+ and MultiChoice co-production, ‘Blood Psalms’, which will premiere on Showmax this year.