Kenyans laud jailing of compatriot

The 17-year jail sentence handed down by a court in Mwanza on Kenyan Nathan Mutei for attempting to sell a compatriot with albinism has drawn mixed views among Kenyans. Many have commended the swift justice, while some have queried the speed with which the court delivered its verdict.The majority of those who posted their views on the Daily Nation website commended the sentence, with some urging Kenya’s judiciary to exercise similar speed in handling cases. “Justice delayed is justice denied. Kudos to the Tanzanians...I would like (Kenya’s Attorney General Amos) Wako to deport (alleged serial killer Philip) Onyancha there to be given 40yrs,” wrote Derfoti. Rofi said: “That is such a lenient sentence. I really feel sorry for Mr (Robinson) Mkwama. Can you imagine you are looking at somebody you had trusted so much just to find that he had planned to sell you to be slaughtered!” Popq: said “This man should have been jailed for 200 years without the option of “early release”. Ili iwe funzo. Tz justice system works. Kenya is in shambles. The over educated Kenyans in charge of our justice system deserve to go home.” Jere2010 also commented, saying: “The few judicial cases that have caught my interest in both Uganda and now Tanzania have left me wondering. It appears like in UG and TZ court cases are concluded in an amazing short period of time. If this case was in Kenya, the script would have been different, the police would still be looking for more evidence and several years down line the accused is released for lack of evidence.” Mzee_mmoja’s post was: “Good job, let him rot in a Tanzanian jail. I guess in Kenya he would have been jailed for 6 months or acquited for lack of evidence.” But Isaya Baraza said he doubted whether Mutei was given an opportunity to tell his side of the story. “The law is blind. Whether deep in the people’s heart that an accused is guilty, the law demands evidence beyond reasonable doubt. An accused is a human being, subject to all rights that befalls a human being no matter the crime he is accused of,” Mr Baraza wrote, adding that Mutei should have been represented by a lawyer.Another reader, who identified himself as Makunu, said, “17yrs in 24hrs, that is not justice”.