Justice John Mativo ruled that the actions of torture meted on the women by police constituted to a gross violations of their constitutional rights/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 25 – The High Court has awarded Sh18 million to mothers of former political detainees being compensation for the suffering and torture they underwent at the hands of police.
Justice John Mativo ruled that the actions of torture meted on the women by police constituted to a gross violations of their constitutional rights.
The six had told the court that they were arrested and tortured on different dates between 1992 and 1993 by Sate agents for their resistance to police brutality at Uhuru Park’s Freedom Corner during the clamour for multi-party democracy and demanding the release of 24 political prisoners.
Their sons had been detained for agitating for multi-party democracy.
Justice Mativo said each of them will get Sh3 million and the sum will attract interest from June 30, 2014 when the petition was filed until when the full payment will be paid.
“An award will go some distance towards vindicating the infringed constitutional right. Considering the nature of the violations and bearing in mind the fact that it may not be easy to quantify denial of fundamental rights and freedoms I enter judgment in their favour,” ruled the judge.
The case was filed in 2014 through lawyer Gitau Mwara.
Mwara said the women had peacefully assembled at Uhuru Park to agitate for the release of their sons but general service unit officers were unleashed upon them.
They were beaten and returned to their rural homes.
About The Author
