Kipekemie Jara is a fictional prisoner on the television show Oz

Oz (TV series)

Oz is an American television drama series created by Tom Fontana, who also wrote or co-wrote all of the series' 56 episodes . It was the first one-hour dramatic television series to be produced by premium cable network HBO. Oz premiered on July 12, 1997 and ran for six seasons...

, played by Zakes Mokae

Zakes Mokae

Zakes Makgona Mokae was a South African-born American actor.-Life and career:Mokae was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, moved to Great Britain in 1961, and to the United States in 1969. He turned to acting at the same time as playwright Athol Fugard was emerging...

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Character Overview

Prisoner 98J604, Kipekemie Jara. Convicted August 1st 1998 - Criminally negligent homicide. Sentence: 20 years, up for parole in 8.

While performing an apparent faith-healing ritual, Jara was sent to prison for not allowing ambulance officers to get to a dying boy.

Season 2

Jara arrives in Oz to coincide with Simon Adebisi

Simon Adebisi

Simon Adebisi is a fictional character played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje on the HBO dramatic series Oz, set in an experimental prison unit.-Character overview:Prisoner #93A234. Convicted May 2, 1993 - Murder in the first degree...

 being taken off heroin by Antonio Nappa

Antonio Nappa

Antonio Nappa is a fictional character played by Mark Margolis on the HBO dramatic series Oz.-Character overview:Prisoner #98N744. Convicted June 4, 1998 - Murder in the second degree. Sentence: 80 years, eligible for parole in 50...

. He begins conversations with Adebisi, a fellow Yoruba

Yoruba people

The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...

, about their native Nigeria, and it is obvious this has a positive effect on Adebisi. Nappa does not like this as he still wants revenge on Adebisi for raping his godson Peter Schibetta

Peter Schibetta

Peter Schibetta is a fictional character on the HBO series Oz, portrayed by Eddie Malavarca.-Character overview:Prisoner #98S112. Convicted May 19, 1998 - Five counts of extortion: money laundering. Sentence: 35 years, eligible for parole in 20....

. So Nappa approaches ambitious Homeboy Kenny Wangler

Kenny Wangler

Kenny "Bricks" Wangler is a fictional character in the HBO drama Oz, played by actor J.D. Williams.-Character overview:Prisoner #97W566. Convicted July 6, 1997 - murder in the first degree . Sentence: 20 years, eligible for parole in six.He was sent to prison for murdering a student he was...

and offers him partnership in the drug trade if he kills Jara. This does not prove hard as Adebisi has Jara's work assignment moved to the kitchen so they can be closer.
When Adebisi goes away one day to get more food to prepare, Wangler stabs Jara in the back with a kitchen knife. Adebisi returns just in time to see Jara fall to the ground. Jara smiles at Adebisi and says "I'm going home", before dying in Adebisi's arms.