by Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (March 1st 2015)
Kafkaesque
If the great writer Franz Kafka had written the story below nobody would believe it could really happen!
Most wrongly accused people at least have the cold comfort of knowing why they are suffering an injustice. Imagine being arrested, tried and sentenced to death for a crime you didnʼt commit. An horrific experience – no doubt. Now imagine that you served 18 long years – all of them, knowing that any day you could be dragged off and hanged without even being allowed to bid final farewells. Imagine that you knew for a fact that you and your co-accused were innocent.
Now imagine that your co-accused, a cousin, fell ill. You knew that his life could have been saved, but the prison authorities refuse to give him the treatment he needs. Why, they argue, should they waste precious medicines treating a man they are going to execute anyway? Cruel and callous, definitely, but the logic is there, except you know that they are allowing an innocent man to die slowly and cruelly – a man you know for a fact is innocent.
The Shameful Secret
There is nothing that you can do about it. Youʼre helpless as your cousin is claimed by malaria and complications from the lack of treatment. Thereʼs nothing you can do to help yourself either. You know that the regime that imprisoned you has fallen – it was venal, corrupt and brutal. But despite that you remain in prison, still on Death Row, waiting for the executioners to come for you.
And all this time you know something big, something enormous, something that exposes your case as among the worst travesties of justice that your country – the world even – has ever seen.You know that the man you and your late cousin were convicted of murdering was not only not killed by you, he was killed by nobody. And no, this is not a case of death by natural causes wrongly called murder. You know the big secret, but you are locked up unable to conduct the investigation to prove your innocence in the most incredible fashion.
The big secret, the one that disgraces the system that robbed you of your liberty and your cousin of his life is shameful – beyond shameful even. It is incredible. It beggars belief. The man you were convicted of murdering is alive and well! Canʼt happen? Think again. This was the nightmare that The Fitted-In Projectʼs International Committee Member Mpagi Edward Edmary was forced to endure for more than 18 years.
With regard to the scale of the injustice there can be little to add to your summary. However, it should be duly noted that reports say; That as so often happens, it was Edward Edmary Mpagi’s family who successfully campaigned for his release, providing evidence that the alleged victim was still alive (no doubt they had professional help pursuing legal mechanisms to bring about his release and they should be given some credit for that. But, it was his family who precipitated his release).Notwithstanding the atrocities that befell Edward, it is also a story of hope and inspiration against the odds, even after 18 years the family never gave up on trying to find him justice, God bless them.
That was the opening article on Mpagi’s case. There will be more. The Fitted-In Project is committed to highlighting his case. Mpagi’s vindication is an opportunity for Uganda to progress and it is one that we aim to assist with an initiative built around the outrageous experiences of a remarkable man I am proud to count a good friend. Mpagi’s story has several heroes Ronald Katongole ranks very highly among them. Mpagi is an inspiration to us all. After all he has been through he dedicates his time to fighting the death penalty and to his dream, which is to educate. See http://www.dreamoneworld.org/ for details of the school.
How do these people get heard sooner. 29yr i been trying. volentary organisations try to help with aftercare here so at least i get some help. People like this give me the strength to keep trying.
Regarding getting heard sooner, build up pressure. If the evidence is clear and overwhelming, campaigning should not be needed, but in the current environment, it probably is. There is very limited after-care available for the innocent, but in the current financial environment I would not be at all surprised if the plug is pulled on even that. It is a rotten situation, but thanks to people like Mpagi there is hope.