Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Our shield and defender

Thomas(Tom) Cholmondeley, wealthy landowner and heir to the 5th Baron Delamere is due in court tomorrow for sentencing after his conviction for the May 2006 manslaughter of Robert Njoya, a stonemason. The case has exposed the deep fissures that divide Kenyan society along lines of race and wealth. This TV report and a lopsided campaign waged by Tom’s supporters give a flavour of how justice is perceived by some in Kenya.

Sentencing by Mr Justice Muga Apondi is expected in the morning.

11 comments:

  1. It all seems so reasonable and low key to me...thank you for sharing this and we will see what tomorrow brings to you in Kenya.

    Yours,
    Leonardo

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  2. Hi Leonardo,

    All very reasonable until you take into account that a year prior to this incident Tom had shot dead a black game warden who ventured onto his land. The State withdrew that case for lack of evidence.

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  3. This happened while I was still in Kenya. As a muzungu (did I spell that correctly?) I find this kind of website (your link) reprehensible and stupid - the man should account for his actions. I don't need to justify my feelings on racism and bigotry but I will say that I hope his sentence brings a few of the KC's down to earth. Kenya is such a stunning country with (honestly) the most phenomenal people...

    Sorry about the little rant...

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  4. Justice? Which justice? The whole case s a travesty of incompetence. Including your own last comment, Tamaku, which shows you are thoroughly unacquainted with the prior case.

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  5. 8 months in jail, THAT is it? Meanwhile Serah Njoya has been left with no husband, four children and no job?!

    Justice Apondi has the gall to rationalize: "There should not be one law for the rich and another for the poor."

    Give me a break. Very shameful stuff.

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  6. 8 months. And I'm sure he shall have VIP status in jail.

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  7. Hey Billy,

    The perception is that he got away with it (8 month sentence) because he is a wealthy mzungu with top-notch connections. I doubt many Kenyan Cowboys expected it to even get this far. A sad chapter in race relations for Kenya.

    Hi Osas,

    I only mentioned the fact of the nolle prosequi entered by the AG in the first case.

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  8. Hi Mama Shujaa and Shiko-Msa,

    All this happening in broad international limelight! It pains the heart.

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  9. Why are we shocked about injustice? It´s running rampant everywhere? It´s the ¨self-justifying¨ that is so sinfilled/disturbing, and/or just plain demented!

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  10. Ubeberu iendelee...as usual

    I'm only surprised that he got (gasp! shock! horror! 8 months (and chances are he will serve 4))

    The Kenyan Justice system and the endless pandering and the continued selling out of our selves and our people to neocolonialist concerns makes me want to vomit.

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Hey you, leave a comment but don't just be an asshole about it - try to be decent. That said you are welcome to heap abuse or ridicule if it makes you feel better. However in order to get published it must not be homophobic, racist or sexist. OK?