Koriang does not deserve to die
Oct 04, 2010
WHY should poor Judith Koriang, a mother, face death even if the Court Martial found her guilty of killing her husband, Pt. Nelson Okello? How will her child survive?
Emilian Kayima
WHY should poor Judith Koriang, a mother, face death even if the Court Martial found her guilty of killing her husband, Pt. Nelson Okello? How will her child survive?
Although I am an ardent advocate of the death penalty for those who commit atrocities, I have a different view when it comes to Koriang.
Yes, the criminal act of murder must be severely punished, but circumstances surrounding it must be studied and appreciated.
Even the law examines the intention of the doer known as the evil mind. I did not “see†the evil mind in the Koriang case.
When I looked at the picture of Koriang in the New Vision newspaper, I saw a confused woman in tears, completely detached from reality and lost in the wilderness. She seemed like she was searching for answers from the so many challenges she was faced with.
Koriang must have been shocked on finding out that she was HIV-positive. Then there was the issue of discordance. Koriang’s relationship with her husband must have been strained because they lacked adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
At 20 years, Koriang is young and possibly naïve. She could have been frustrated by the insults from her husband — someone she must have loved.
The husband might not have known that there were various other ways through which one could contract the HIV virus apart from sexual intercourse. So he continuously insulted Koriang, insinuating that she cheated on him.
It is sad that Koriang did not even appeal against the sentence. She seemed so devastated and confused. Someone ought to have done it on her behalf. Where are our renowned human rights activists?
Koriang's case has taught me that it is important for couples to learn to communicate and listen to each other in order to avoid domestic violence.
Couples should also be encouraged to seek psycho-social support if they have a problem they cannot solve at a family level.
The writer is the Political Commissar, Kampala Metropolitan Police
WHY should poor Judith Koriang, a mother, face death even if the Court Martial found her guilty of killing her husband, Pt. Nelson Okello? How will her child survive?
Although I am an ardent advocate of the death penalty for those who commit atrocities, I have a different view when it comes to Koriang.
Yes, the criminal act of murder must be severely punished, but circumstances surrounding it must be studied and appreciated.
Even the law examines the intention of the doer known as the evil mind. I did not “see†the evil mind in the Koriang case.
When I looked at the picture of Koriang in the New Vision newspaper, I saw a confused woman in tears, completely detached from reality and lost in the wilderness. She seemed like she was searching for answers from the so many challenges she was faced with.
Koriang must have been shocked on finding out that she was HIV-positive. Then there was the issue of discordance. Koriang’s relationship with her husband must have been strained because they lacked adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS.
At 20 years, Koriang is young and possibly naïve. She could have been frustrated by the insults from her husband — someone she must have loved.
The husband might not have known that there were various other ways through which one could contract the HIV virus apart from sexual intercourse. So he continuously insulted Koriang, insinuating that she cheated on him.
It is sad that Koriang did not even appeal against the sentence. She seemed so devastated and confused. Someone ought to have done it on her behalf. Where are our renowned human rights activists?
Koriang's case has taught me that it is important for couples to learn to communicate and listen to each other in order to avoid domestic violence.
Couples should also be encouraged to seek psycho-social support if they have a problem they cannot solve at a family level.
The writer is the Political Commissar, Kampala Metropolitan Police