[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Jan. 16



KENYA:

Robbers get death sentence


2 men who robbed a herdsman of 24 sheep, a rungu, (club) an umbrella and a
watch were Tuesday sentenced to death.

David Marsale, 38, and Wilson Ngunje, 42, were convicted by acting Nanyuki
senior principal magistrate Hannah Ndung'u.

The 2 had been jointly charged with violently robbing Mr Ali Kaiyongi in
the company of another person not in court.

The court heard that the complainant was taking his employer's animals
home from the fields on March 11, 2006, when he was attacked by 3 men.

Military officer

In the same court, 2 men facing violent robbery charges were Tuesday
accused of robbing a military officer in the Nanyuki court cells.

Mr Anthony Kang'ethe, 30, and Mr John Kariuki, 24, denied robbing Mr
Robert Mburu Kinothia of 10th Engineers Battalion-Nanyuki of Sh3,800 on
January 14.

The officer had been arrested for creating disturbance at a local bar
while the 2 had been brought from Nanyuki Prison for the hearing of a
robbery case. The hearing was set for February 15.

(source: Nation Media)






TRINIDAD:

Ramesh: PM's hanging plan a national joke


Opposition Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj wants to know if Prime
Minister Patrick Manning plans to hang "invisible people".

Maharaj noted that "for you to reach the stage of the death penalty, you
first have to detect, to hold and then convict".

"So it is a national joke for the Prime Minister, in a situation where
there is a 10 % detection rate and a 1 % conviction rate, to talk about
implementing the death penalty as a solution to crime," Maharaj said in
response to plans by Manning to amend the laws on hanging.

"Because you would not reach that stage (of the death penalty under the
current situation). He (the PM) is putting the cart, but you have to have
the horse first."

He added, "They (the Government) can't hold (criminals), they can't
convict but he is talking about punishment?"

He said he would want to see the amendments before stating whether the
Opposition would support them. He added it would be the same for
amendments to the method of appointment for the Police Commissioner.

But Maharaj stressed that any decision which was in the public interest
the Opposition would support, and that it would consult with the national
community before taking a decision.

He recalled, however, that when as Attorney General he attempted to bring
a the Constitution Amendment No 2 bill to deal with the problem of
execution of the death penalty, Manning did not support it. The bill had
stated that where there is a delay not exceeding five years for a person
upon whom a sentence of death has been imposed, there cannot be granted a
stay of execution, an alteration or remission of commutation.

Maharaj claimed that Manning did not support the measure, saying that it
breached the fundamental rights of murderers.

(source: Trinidad and Tobago Express)