A Kenyan judge has sentenced thegrandson of an English baron to eight months in prison for killing a black manon his farm. Thomas Cholmondeley wasconvicted of shooting 37-year-old Robert Njoya in 2006.
Thesentence has created outrage in Kenya because it is a much lower penalty thanthe maximum he could have faced -- life in prison. David Ohito is asenior political editor at the Kenyandaily the East African Standard.
From the Kenyan capital, Nairobi,he told VOA that a number of people on the streets were not happy with the(court) decision to hand Cholmondeley only another eight months in jail. ?Therewas a mixed reaction in Nairobi. People are saying Kenyans have been reduced todogs ? you can shoot them at will. ?
He said Kenyan law seems totreat people differently, ?When there is [one] law for the rich and another forthe poor you get results like we got today.?
Ohito said this is not thefirst time Cholmondeley has shot and killed someone. ?There is another killingthat happened about three years ago. He (Cholmondeley) shot and killed a Kenya wildlife ranger. Interestinglyeven in that case he ?was let off the hook, said Ohito.
Headded that people are beginning to wonder whether it is the prosecution systemthat is broken or those with money can kill and get away with it, adding, ?Thisis the question for our judiciary that is riddled with corruption andincompetence.?
Ohitonoted that the judge said since Cholmondeley has already been in jail for threeyears already he will serve another eight months; that means in our law he willonly serve another four months. He willbe out before Christmas.?
Ohito expressed doubt that the appeal by theprosecution will succeed since the widow seems to be content with thecompensation promised her by Cholmondeley. Given the levels of poverty, thebereaved family may accept some little money as compensation.?