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Torture Cases On the Rise, Say Rights Groups

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Published on Tuesday, 03 July 2007 03:54
Torture cases in the country are increasing despite the Government's promise to stamp out the vice.Participants at a one-day workshop were at the weekend told that torture would continue to thrive unless Kenyans rose up against it like they did in throwing the Kanu Government out of power.

People Against Torture research officer Isaac Bosire said the police still topped the list of torturers as evidenced by rising cases of rape of women in police cells and use of the method to get evidence from suspects.Peoples' Empowerment and Development Services executive director Wilfred Omariba said: "People are not willing to come forward and testify on what they see thus encouraging torture as one can't win a case in court without witnesses."

Mr Omariba, who is also a human rights lawyer, said court fees was beyond the reach of the common man seeking legal redress when tortured.He told Kenyans to form human rights groups to fight the vice.

Mr Omariba was speaking at St Vincent's Kisii Centre at the workshop, which was jointly organised by Catholic Justice and Peace Commission and People Against Torture to mark the United Nations International Day in Support of Torture Survivors.Mr Bosire claimed that the vice was being perpetrated by the Government and unfriendly judicial system.

"Judges and magistrates are expected to find out what is wrong with the suspects in the dock but most of them do not care," Mr Bosire said.Kisii CJPC coordinator Alloys Obure asked the Government to ensure all officers in the disciplined forces displayed their force numbers for easy identification by wananchi.He said torturers were basking under the ignorance of the common man and underscored the need for civic education to enlighten the masses on their rights.

The participants, who included religious, youth and women leaders, para-legals and teachers, called for legalisation of traditional brews, arguing their banning was only enriching chiefs are the police.