In their second co-production project to date, African streaming and on demand giant Showmax and global broadcaster CANAL+ have announced their first original African series. "Crime & Justice", their first Kenyan original series, is in production and is set to hit screens in 2021.

The show, described as a "gritty police procedural and legal show set in Nairobi, Kenya", features a star studded cast that is not likely to disappoint. Kenyan exports Sarah Hassan (Plan B, How to Find a Husband) and Alfred Munyua (Poacher, The First Grader, Sense8) lend their expertises as Makena and Silas, the two detectives at the heart of it all. The show follows "one ripped-from-the-headlines" case per episode and sees each case through the end.

Sarah shared her excitement with her Instagram followers this week, in a post teasing fans with what's to come. Hassan says 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."

"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," says Munyua.

The show, directed and produced by Adam Neutzsky-Wulff (All The Little Things We Kill, and You Are Here), features Maqbul Mohammed (Varshita, Auntie Boss) as DCI Boss Kebo, Paul Ogola (Sense 8, Kati Kati) as Prosecutor Sokoro and Brian Ogola (Lusala, Disconnect) as Caleb, the resident pathologist. 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) also lend their talents.

"Crime & Justice" will be made available to French-speaking viewers via CANAL+, with CANAL+ INTERNATIONAL COO Fabrice Faux emphasising the importance of African entertainment. "As part of our strategy of providing our subscribers with the best original content from the continent, " Faux says, "we are proud to partner with Showmax and enrich myCanal as well as CANAL+ channels with such premium series."

Crime & Justice comes to Showmax and CANAL+ in 2021.