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.
Her story is heartbreaking not only because she is fighting for her life at such a tender age, but because her parents have spent months navigating a medical journey filled with uncertainty, delays, and rising fear.What began as something that seemed as simple as jaundice has escalated into a life-threatening condition that now requires an urgent liver transplant.For Asli’s parents, the reality is devastating. They are not asking for luxuries...