When a murder charge hangs over
Friday, February 03, 2017
Waiting for justice: Awaiting trial inmates comprise a large portion of the population
Being suspected of crime is a nightmarish experience. The trauma is amplified when the crime happens to be a violent murder.
For Morgan Kagiso* the nightmare began in 2012 when he was accused of killing his girlfriend with a knife. Since then, he has been in and out of maximum prison, escorted under heavy guard in iron chains, from one appearance to another. One Christmas after another, one Independence Day after another, Kagiso has watched the years slip away while he awaits his trial.
Acting Agriculture Minister, Edwin Dikoloti, is right in saying opening an export-ready facility whilst Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is still spreading would risk getting the whole country blacklisted before a single carcass leaves the door.A ban like that would break the already stressed nation. So, the postponement, painful as it is, is the right thing to do. The local economy is being squeezed from both ends. FMD has already slammed the door...