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Suspects Stage Hunger Strike
- Details
- Published on Sunday, 08 July 2007 23:38
Yesterday the prison chief C. Kemei confirmed the discontent among the remand prisoners.
"They are writing protest mail to us almost on a daily basis. They want the resident judge to visit them and listen to their grievances here, he said.Among those on meals boycott are two brothers who have languished in the cells for the last six years, awaiting the hearing of a murder charge against them.
Another is chief Toko Marwa of Nyabikaye Location in Kuria District, who has languished in the prison for three years.In a protest note to the judge, the chief says he has lost confidence in the Kisii law courts and wants his case moved to any other court.
The chief's co-accused, a district officer, was released after a two-week stay in prison.The DO was soon after transferred to North Eastern Province.
Both the chief and the DO were arrested on claims of ordering a vigilante group called Sungusungu to torture a suspect, who later died.And brothers Simeon Nyakeri and Jackson Machae have waited for the start of their case since they were arrested and arraigned in court in 1999.
The remandees started their food boycott last week after the hearing of their cases was moved to later next year.The chief will now be produced before the judge, Mr Justice Kaburu Bauni, on April 18, 2005.
Mrs Tabitha Kemunto Nyabuto, who has waited for three years to answer charges in connection with the murder of her husband, will have to wait until May 3, 2005, to appear in court.
The protesters snubbed a Christmas party organised for inmates by prison officers.The slow pace at which cases are handled came to the limelight two weeks ago when appeal judge Mr Justice Julius Bosire protested to Justice Bauni in a case involving his nephew, and which is yet to commence, three years on.
Two days earlier, about 50 lawyers had boycotted the courts protesting at the "very few" magistrates and judges at the law courts. They gave the Chief Justice till January to address their plight or they resume their boycott.
They want five more magistrates and two more judges to team up with Mr Justice Bauni.
All murder and appeal cases from courts in Kehancha, Migori, Rongo, Homabay, Oyugis, Keroka, Kilgoris, Nyamira and Kisii districts are handled by Mr Justice Bauni in the High Court, where he sits alone.
