Uganda should ignore bomb suspects selfish apologists
Apr 14, 2011
FOR the last two or three months, most Ugandan and regional newspapers have been awash with advertorials urging for the immediate release of one of the July 2010 Kampala twin bombings.
By Obed Katureebe
FOR the last two or three months, most Ugandan and regional newspapers have been awash with advertorials urging for the immediate release of one of the July 2010 Kampala twin bombings.
The suspect is a Kenyan lawyer and Muslim activist Ali Amin Kimathi currently in custody at Luzira Prison. The sponsors of these advertorials are the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
Kimathi is one of the over 30 suspects that were arrested in connection with the July, Kampala bombings that killed over 80 people watching the World Cup finals.
Together with several others, Kimathi is still in Luzira Prison undergoing trial until the courts of law find him guilty or innocent. Interesting, the arrested suspects are from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.
What I find intriguing and arrogance is the way the common Wealth Lawyers Association is demanding the unequivocal release of Kimathi without going through the due process of the law. Foremost, according to our criminal law Kimathi is innocent until proven guilty.
Therefore, for the Commonwealth Lawyers Association to demand his immediate release without trial is to exhibit arrogance and insensitivity to the people of Uganda, especially those who lost their beloved ones in the bomb blasts.
One would have expected that these learned fellows to press the Government of Uganda to expedite Kimathi’s trial in our competent courts of law such that he is pronounced guilty or innocent. And in the event they are not satisfied with the judgment, they would then use all the appellant courts to argue their colleagues’ predicament.
However, to demand for the blatant release of Kimathi is unrealistic.
Besides, the Ugandan courts are not subordinate to the Commonwealth Lawyers Associations to be subjected to such commands.
If one might ask, are these lawyers very sure their colleague is innocent or is it because Kimathi is a lawyer and a Muslim activist. A crime is a crime whether committed by activists or bishops. There can never be preferential treatment for anybody under the law.
Uganda’s courts are independent and they do go around their business following the law of the land.
This association, seems to be insinuating that there is no rule of the law in Uganda and we do not have competent judicial officers to try this man.
At the moment all they can do is to press for fair treatment of their colleague, which he is currently enjoying. For example, these lawyers might want to know if their friend is accessing medical attention and legal representation. They may want to know if their friend has a fair accommodation and good food like any other prisoner. All these are fundamental human rights entitled to all prisoners in this country.
What the commonwealth lawyers might have forgotten is that Uganda is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) which among other things enjoins it to recognise the inherent dignity and equal inalienable rights of all members of the human family.
Therefore, unless they have any other agenda that as a country we are yet to know, they should respect our courts and sovereignty. Anything beyond that is arrogance which should not be entertained at all costs.
The writer works at the Uganda Media Centre
FOR the last two or three months, most Ugandan and regional newspapers have been awash with advertorials urging for the immediate release of one of the July 2010 Kampala twin bombings.
The suspect is a Kenyan lawyer and Muslim activist Ali Amin Kimathi currently in custody at Luzira Prison. The sponsors of these advertorials are the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
Kimathi is one of the over 30 suspects that were arrested in connection with the July, Kampala bombings that killed over 80 people watching the World Cup finals.
Together with several others, Kimathi is still in Luzira Prison undergoing trial until the courts of law find him guilty or innocent. Interesting, the arrested suspects are from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.
What I find intriguing and arrogance is the way the common Wealth Lawyers Association is demanding the unequivocal release of Kimathi without going through the due process of the law. Foremost, according to our criminal law Kimathi is innocent until proven guilty.
Therefore, for the Commonwealth Lawyers Association to demand his immediate release without trial is to exhibit arrogance and insensitivity to the people of Uganda, especially those who lost their beloved ones in the bomb blasts.
One would have expected that these learned fellows to press the Government of Uganda to expedite Kimathi’s trial in our competent courts of law such that he is pronounced guilty or innocent. And in the event they are not satisfied with the judgment, they would then use all the appellant courts to argue their colleagues’ predicament.
However, to demand for the blatant release of Kimathi is unrealistic.
Besides, the Ugandan courts are not subordinate to the Commonwealth Lawyers Associations to be subjected to such commands.
If one might ask, are these lawyers very sure their colleague is innocent or is it because Kimathi is a lawyer and a Muslim activist. A crime is a crime whether committed by activists or bishops. There can never be preferential treatment for anybody under the law.
Uganda’s courts are independent and they do go around their business following the law of the land.
This association, seems to be insinuating that there is no rule of the law in Uganda and we do not have competent judicial officers to try this man.
At the moment all they can do is to press for fair treatment of their colleague, which he is currently enjoying. For example, these lawyers might want to know if their friend is accessing medical attention and legal representation. They may want to know if their friend has a fair accommodation and good food like any other prisoner. All these are fundamental human rights entitled to all prisoners in this country.
What the commonwealth lawyers might have forgotten is that Uganda is a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) which among other things enjoins it to recognise the inherent dignity and equal inalienable rights of all members of the human family.
Therefore, unless they have any other agenda that as a country we are yet to know, they should respect our courts and sovereignty. Anything beyond that is arrogance which should not be entertained at all costs.
The writer works at the Uganda Media Centre