Oscar Pistorius in South African court — Photo Credit: News24
South African amputee athlete Oscar Pistorius was bruised after a fight in a Pretoria prison where he is serving a 13-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
The Paralympian was engaged in a brawl with a fellow inmate over a public phone at the special care unit of the Attridgeville Correctional Centre, says South Africa’s department of correctional services spokesman Singabakho Nxumalo.
He told French news agency AFP that an official investigation will be launched into the December 6 incident.
Local media report that the fight ensued after 31-year-old Pistorius spent long periods on the phone used by all the inmates at the special unit for prisoners with disabilities.
This happened days after the South African appeals court increased his sentence from 6 to 13 years and five months. Prosecutors appealed that the previous sentence was “too light”.
He was first convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in jail. The charge was later changed to murder in December 2015 and his sentence increased to six years.
The double-amputee athlete also known as The Blade Runner has insisted that he shot his girlfriend through the bathroom door thinking she was an intruder.
This article by Ismail Akwei was first published on face2faceafrica.com
Authorities in Tanzania’s northern region of Mwanza have ordered district commissioners to ensure the arrest of all pregnant schoolgirls in the region to serve as a deterrent.
Regional Commissioner John Mongella said on Monday that pregnant girls should be arraigned before a court to testify against the culprits thereby preventing other girls from engaging in sexual activities, reports local news portal The Citizen.
“There have been a tendency of pregnant schoolgirls not to mention the name of a person who impregnated them. This is a challenge when one is required to testify in court,” Mongella said during a meeting with education stakeholders.
The region’s educational officer Michael Lugola told The Citizen that their pupils underperformed in the national primary school leaving examination due to pregnancy. He said 33 pupils have dropped out of school due to teenage pregnancy this year.
The decision to arrest and force pregnant pupils to name and testify against culprits will be a breach of human rights principles.
In June, President John Magufuli upheld a controversial 2002 law that bans pregnant schoolgirls from returning to school after giving birth. He also added that men who impregnate schoolgirls should be imprisoned for 30 years.
The president is currently under another criticism for granting pardon to prisoners on Saturday including two child rapists who were sentenced to life in prison.
Congolese musician, Nguza Viking alias Babu Seya and his son Johnson Nguza alias Papii Kocha were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010 after they were found guilty of raping and defiling ten primary school pupils between the ages of six and eight in 2003.
TANZANIA: President Magufuli pardons child rapists, Nguza Viking & his son Johnson Nguza. They were sentenced to life in prison for raping ten girls in 2003 aged between six & eight years from a primary school in Dar es Salaam. pic.twitter.com/3KT5DBrNrT
There were cheers after the announcement of their release while child rights advocates questioned the decision which did not take the victims into consideration.
The director of local NGO Community for Children Rights, Kate McAlpine told the BBC she was “horrified but unsurprised”.
The government’s decision was also largely criticized by social media users.
What does "uhuru" mean today in #Tanzania under current ruler who comes from the same ruling party ruling TZ since independence? What history made today in TZ-child rapists pardoned!! Corruption corrupts minds!
While everywhere in the world and in the UN there’s a big push to deal with sexual harassement and sexual abuse of women and children and to encourage victims to speak up – in #Tanzania convicted rapists and child molesters are set free and made media celebrities. Let’s discuss!
True. Even rapists. And we have the right to question his judgement. Same President ordered pregnant girls not to go back to school after delivery. It is clear. Get raped, impregnated and get out of school. That’s the message the president send to girl child of Tanzania
Protest in Somalia against Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital — Photo Credit: Somalia Live News
isturbing images and stories of modern-day slave auctions in Libya did not evoke mass demonstrations in Africa, yet U.S. president Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital drew a quick response from Somalia, Tunisia, Djibouti and the African Union.
Thousands in Tunisia, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria, Algeria, and Morocco marched in several towns in support of the Palestinian struggle on Thursday while condemning the decision of the U.S. to move its embassy to Jerusalem which they describe as a “dangerous” move.
@ActualidadRT Thousands of people demonstrated today in various cities of Tunisia (Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa, Kébili, Sfax and Kairoua) to protest against the decision of the president of the United States, Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel pic.twitter.com/eqzptzN5Mq
Watch:Huge protest against Trump decision of recognizing Jerusalem as Israeli capital hits in Mogadishu's Somali capital. Hundreds of Mogadishuans gathered Zoope junction where hundreds of civilians killed in October bombing,showing in solidarity with Plastinian people. pic.twitter.com/QQ8s96QYdu
The Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Muslim-Shiite, is planning simultaneous demonstrations after Jumaa prayers across the country, especially in the northern States on Friday in protest of US President recognising Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel.
The governments of Somalia and Djibouti issued statements calling on the U.S. to “seriously reconsider the risks that its decision could have on the future of the Middle East and the world in general” while expressing “commitment to the two-state solution … with East Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Palestinian state.”
The African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said in a statement that the continental body is in solidarity “with the Palestinian people and its support to their legitimate quest for an independent and sovereign State with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
Palestine has observer status at the African Union which makes the decision of the body to support the embattled state obvious.
President Trump’s immediate response after CNN’s report on Libya’s modern-day slavery was an attack on the U.S. media calling them “a major source of (Fake) news” outside the country.
.@FoxNews is MUCH more important in the United States than CNN, but outside of the U.S., CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly. The outside world does not see the truth from them!
He did not express interest in the African problem and his tweet became a point of reference to some Libyan media and diplomats who questioned the footage and report.
Libya’s modern-day slavery issue has been reported months ago by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) which documented stories of victims rescued from the troubled country.
Short-lived demonstrations were held in Africa while bigger demonstrations against the human rights abuse in Libya were staged in London and Paris to elicit swift action from world leaders.
The AU said weeks later that a joint task force with the help of the United Nations and the European Union “plans to repatriate within the next 6 weeks, 20,000 migrants in identified government-controlled detention centers, who wish to leave Libya.”
1/5: AU-led Task Force with UN and EU plans to repatriate within the next 6 weeks, 20,000 migrants in identified govt-controlled detention centers, who wish to leave #Libya.
The Libyan government says it will investigate the migrant slave auctions after pressure to find the perpetrators – believed to include government officials.
The footage showed about 10 men being sold for $400 as farm laborers in a night auction in the country where smugglers are reported to have robbed, kidnapped, abused and killed migrants who are unable to pay for their freedom.
The AU Commission chairperson Mahamat released details of the measures the AU will take on the Libyan issue minutes after releasing its statement on Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
“Other priorities include working with AU Member States to provide consular services to their nationals stranded in Libya, identify and provide them with travel documents; Libyan authorities to grant landing permits; and neighbouring countries to provide overflight permission.
“On 5 Dec 2017, I also met with the Permanent Representatives of 21 member states that either have nationals stranded in Libya or share a border with Libya and highlighted our collective duty to act quickly to ease the suffering of stranded African migrants.
“I also called on concerned Member States to send consular officials to speedily provide consular services, including identification of their nationals and issuance of emergency travel documents with support of the AU Liaison Office for Libya. All agreed.
“I further urged Libyan authorities to ensure the safety and security of migrants held in Govt-controlled detention centres, facilitate access to ALL detention centres for consular officials from the migrants’ countries of origin and officials from the AU and the UN Migration Agency.”
Nigerians are estimated to be the majority of migrants in detention centers in Libya. Over a thousand were repatriated in the past month with the help of the UN Migration Agency IOM which has for years organized voluntary repatriation.
More than 150,000 migrants and refugees have crossed the Mediterranean Sea into Europe through Libya. More than 3,000 have drowned each year in the past four years.
The European Union was strongly criticized for supporting Libyan authorities who arrested migrants in boats and kept them in overcrowded detention centers where they faced torture and abuse.
For now, protests on the Libyan migrant slave auction exposé have died down, the time frame for the investigations into the incidents has not been set, stranded migrants locked up in detention centers are being repatriated and justice is yet to be served.
Face2face Africa is an African-owned and operated media platform committed to informing and connecting black people around the world. Our mission is to bring a balanced perspective to the African narrative and provide the platform for discourse and interaction. If you have an important story to share or would like us to bring more attention to something in your community, please email us at storiesthatmatter@f2fafrica.com.
This article by Ismail Akwei was firstpublishedon face2faceafrica.com
critical song against Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has landed an artist and music producer in jail for “disturbing the president’s peace”.
31-year-old artist David Mugema and 23-year-old music producer Jonah Muwanguzi were dragged to a court in the capital Kampala on Tuesday for allegedly producing a song titled Wumula which attacked the president, reports a local news portal Daily Monitor.
The prosecutors have also charged them with abetment of offensive communication for allegedly “composing, recording, producing and electronically communicating through social media” the song that “disturbed the peace of President Museveni without a legitimate reason”.
The presiding judge Gladys Kamasanyu read out the charges to them and denied them bail despite their not guilty plea due to the absence of prosecutors from the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) who were “busy at a workshop”.
“Hearing this bail application without a prosecutor may occasion injustice since they will not be heard to tell us the state of the inquiries in the case,” the judge was quoted by Daily Monitor.
Until the prosecutors attend the court hearing, the two musicians will remain locked up at the Luzira Maximum Security Prison for offending the president.
Human rights advocates have called on the president to pardon the young musicians. The executive director of Oxfam International Winnie Byanyima has described their arrest as an abuse of power and called for their release.
“What an injustice! I am angry at this abuse of power … Mr President @KagutaMuseveni. Have mercy on these 2 young men, whose song allegedly ‘attacked and disturbed (your) peace’. They sing truth,” she tweeted.
Mr President @KagutaMuseveni Have mercy on these 2 young men, whose song allegedly “attacked and disturbed (your) peace”. They sing truth. https://t.co/2Fg6UXdLDu
73-year-old President Museveni is one of the longest-serving African heads of state. He is pushing for constitutional reform to alter the presidential age limit which will allow him to stand for the next election.
The age limit bill which has been tabled before parliament has divided the country governed by Museveni since 1986.
This article by Ismail Akwei was first published on face2faceafrica.com
Nigeria’s Imo State has again stirred up controversy after creating the Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment which will be led by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s sister.
This comes two months after an uproar over a statue erected in the state to honor embattled South African President Jacob Zuma.
The new ministry was earlier named the Ministry of Happiness and Couples Fulfilment which the governor’s office described as a typographical error during the swearing-in of commissioners.
Ogechi Ololo, the governor’s sister, was appointed the commissioner of the ministry. This further deepened the controversy despite her experience with the administration including a previous role as the governor’s deputy chief of staff.
“Happiness is something that is still lacking. My role is to create positive attitudes for our Imo people … This ministry is policy-driven,” she told the BBC.
The new Commissioner for Happiness in Nigeria’s Imo State, appointed by her brother, defends her new job and believes her new ministry has a lot to offer. pic.twitter.com/7Bu2V3kCep
The ridicule of the ministry on social media compelled Governor Rochas Okorocha’s office to explain the reason for setting up the ministry.
“The real essence of life is to be happy and to fulfil one’s purpose in life; Government officials are elected to address this. Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment Ministry, therefore, is established for the lost time to correct the policy framework to guide ministries and departments on what they must do to guarantee the citizens’ happiness and contribute better to the society.
“This is the very reason people elect their leaders: to guarantee their happiness and purpose fulfilment. A great leader, therefore, is one who provides happiness to the people. Unfortunately, this vital element of our social lives has not been properly addressed.
“Governments at different levels have created several ministries and departments to achieve this, yet people are bitter, angry with hate speeches which lead to crisis, war and even terrorism.
“The choice of Mrs Ogechi Ololo, a Master’s Degree Holder in Computer Science, USA who has been the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor on Domestic Matters and Food Security can be described as a round peg in a round hole.
“Before her appointment as the supervisory commissioner, she was charged with the responsibility of liaising with the Federal Government on N-Power Project, CBN Anchor project and BOI, Empowerment Projects.”
Face2face Africa is an African-owned and operated media platform committed to informing and connecting black people around the world. Our mission is to bring a balanced perspective to the African narrative and provide the platform for discourse and interaction. If you have an important story to share or would like us to bring more attention to something in your community, please email us at storiesthatmatter@f2fafrica.com.
This article by Ismail Akwei was first published on face2faceafrica.com
Oscar Pistorius in South African court — Photo Credit: News24
Ismail Akwei 