Piracy trials in Kenya beset by legal obstacles
Rusty rifles and rounds of ammunition lay on a courtroom floor to back up piracy charges against seven Somali men on trial in Kenya.
But today it was a prosecution witness who was under fire.
Eliud Lagat, a Kenyan policeman and weapons expert, had just declared the arms were in working order, but his account was immediately contested by the defence as it had not been registered with the police as evidence.
“Did you record a statement with the police?” Francis Kadima, a defence lawyer, asked Lagat of his hand-written report, which contained several alterations.
Lagat fumbled for an answer during his appearance before the court in the Kenyan port of Mombasa.
“You are supposed to record a statement with the police,” Kadima told him.
“Are you aware that by the time this exhibit was examined the accused had been brought in court?” asked the bespectacled lawyer.
His clients, leaning over the dock, gazed alternately at him and a Somali-language interpreter.
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beentheredonethat Says:
Solution. Equip all civilian ships with dye cannons. Anyone trying to board on the high seas gets sprayed and permanently ‘marked’ for identification. Then when the navy arrives, no trial, on the spot execution and feed them to the sharks. Just fishing huh guys?
Posted on March 10th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Jack Says:
Re:#1 — I don’t agree. If you read through the article you will find a suggestion by the defence lawyer which makes some kind of sense. The pirates should be tried in the country that captures them.
Think China and Iran — and a really slow response from western navies.
Posted on March 10th, 2010 at 3:21 pm