Legal and Judicial Affairs

News : Legal and Judicial Affairs

South Africa: Apartheid Victims to Sue Multinationals

Victims of apartheid who are suing 23 leading multinational corporations in American courts on the grounds that the companies collaborated with the policy have been given clearance to take their case forward. (AllAfrica)


Zimbabwe: Police Ban Opposition Rallies in Harare

Police in Harare have barred the MDC from holding public rallies in the capital, ahead of the presidential run-off whose date has not yet been announced. (AllAfrica)


Mauritania: Justice Not Working for Rape Victims

The Mauritanian government says it is trying to increase prosecutions of rape cases but poorly trained judges working with murky, outdated legal texts make for slow progress. (AllAfrica)


Cameroon: Two Months After Riots, Children Remain in Prison

Many people under the age of 18 were arrested and imprisoned during riots over high food prices in February and more than two months later some are still behind bars. (AllAfrica)


South Africa: Top Judge Takes Zuma Prosecutor to Task

KWAZULU-Natal Judge President Vuka Tshabalala has taken the province's deputy director of public prosecutions to task for setting down for trial the corruption case against African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma without consulting him or the other parties to the case. (AllAfrica)


South Africa: New Problems Emerge on Zuma Corruption Trial

AN ASTONISHING administrative oversight by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) could further delay the troubled prosecution of African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma, raising the prospect that SA's next president could be sworn in early next year while still facing criminal charges. (AllAfrica)


Cameroon: Feudjio Diffo Carlos, 'My 16 Year Old Cellmate Died And No One Came to Collect the Corpse'

Carlos Feudjio Diffo, now 22, spent a year of his life in Douala's notorious central prison when he was 15. He recounted his experience to IRIN. (AllAfrica)


Rwanda: U.S. Steps Up Search for Genocide Fugitives

The US government has renewed its 'Reward for Justice' program targeting individuals believed to have taken leading roles in the mass slaughter in Rwanda that left well over a million people dead, it was announced on Monday. (AllAfrica)


Tanzania: Treasury Secretary Claims No Involvement in Contract Scam

Treasury permanent secretary Gray Mgonja, who authorised payments for the controversial Sh70 billion radar transaction, has finally broken his silence, claiming his innocence. (AllAfrica)


Nigeria: Power Probe, Indictment On Obasanjo - Bishop

Anglican Bishop of Jos Diocese, Bishop Benjamin Kwashi, has stated that the revelations currently emerging from the House of Representatives' Probe of the energy sector was a big indictment on the past Nigerian leaders for failing to provide the people with hope and right leadership. (AllAfrica)


Nigeria: 'Area Boys' Go On Rampage in Sokoto

More than eleveen vehicles yesterday were vandalised by "Area Boys" at Gudu, Tangaza Local Government area of Sokoto State in a clash between the state chapter of the Democratic Peoples' Party (DPP) and People Democratic Party (PDP)campaign,while a female supporter of DPP also sustained a serious injuries. (AllAfrica)


Nigeria: House Changes Gear on Obasanjo's Invitation

Obasanjo may now answer questions arising from the probe in private and outside the chambers of the National Assembly, THISDAY checks also revealed. (AllAfrica)


Kenya: Lawyers to Help in Writing Fresh Laws

Parliament and the Law Society of Kenya have agreed to jointly participate in drafting new legislation. (AllAfrica)


Kenya: Politicians Must Let the Law Fight Crime

Debate about amnesty for those implicated in the violence sparked by the December controversial presidential election results peaked at the weekend. There were two diametrically opposed views - the nays and the yea - both representing the discordance of thoughts among the different members of the Coalition Government. (AllAfrica)


South Africa: State Wants to Keep Brown in Jail After Wife's Flight

Susan Brown, the wife of Fidentia CEO J Arthur Brown, fled SA with her children for Australia on April 25 with an unexecuted arrest warrant hanging over her head, the Cape Town District Court was told yesterday. (AllAfrica)


South Africa: Competition Law

IT IS ironic, in a way, that proposed amendments to SA's competition law are to go to the cabinet just as the Competition Commission is reporting ever richer successes in busting cartels. (AllAfrica)


Rwanda: Chamber Orders ICTR Registry to Appoint Lawyer for Genocide Fugitive

The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) has ordered the Registry to appoint a lawyer for an accused who is still at large, Fulgence Kayishema. (AllAfrica)


Uganda: Police Spend Sh1b Annually On Rent

THE Police Force spends sh1.3b annually in rent for its headquarters at the former British High Commission bulding, MPs have learnt. (AllAfrica)


Nigeria: Power Probe - Obasanjo, Atiku Fail to Show Up

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, failed yesterday to appear before the House of Representatives Committee probing the power sector with Chief Obasanjo citing slight indisposition. (AllAfrica)


Zimbabwe: ZCTU Leaders Denied Bail

TWO Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions leaders who were arrested last week for making speeches at a workers' day rally have been denied bail when they appeared in court on Monday, ZCTU said in a statement. (AllAfrica)


Nigeria: Legislators Delay Passage of Freedom of Information Bill

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the members of Nigeria's House of Representatives to stop delaying the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill after its consideration was deferred for the fifth time last week. (AllAfrica)


Sierra Leone: Opposition Radio Station Shut Down

On 8 May 2008, Unity Radio, a station run by Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), was shut down on the orders of the Minister of Information and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo. (AllAfrica)


South Africa: High-Flying Sky Spy May Guard 2010

SECURITY for the 2010 Soccer World Cup will include state-of-the-art airborne surveillance systems. (AllAfrica)


Mozambique: Albano Silva Case - Witness Testifies On Phone Records

The mobile phone records presented by the prosecution in the trial of six men accused of the 1999 attempted murder of lawyer Albano Silva appear to be genuine, according to an expert witness from the mobile phone company, M-Cel. (AllAfrica)


Angola: Deputy Governor Appeals for Guns Handover

Kwanza-Norte Province's deputy governor, Abreu Pereira da Silva, on Monday here exhorted chieftains, religious leaders and other entities to actively co-participate in the government's programme of disarming citizens in illegal possession of weapons. (AllAfrica)


Liberia: Defense Counsels Oppose Death Penalty For Armed Robbers

The Defense Counsels for Montserrado County have expressed opposition to the death penalty in the amended Armed Robbery Bill which was passed by the House of Representatives recently and is before the Liberian Senate for concurrence. (AllAfrica)


Namibia: Trio in Court for Prisons Depot Break-in

Three suspects who were arrested in the capital over the weekend in connection with a burglary at a Prisons depot storeroom along Krupp Street made their first appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court yesterday on charges of theft and housebreaking. (AllAfrica)


Uganda: Judge Pleads for Upcountry Courts

THE Government should improve the administration of justice in the north to reduce trauma after the 20-year-old war, reports Hillary Nsambu. (AllAfrica)


Botswana: Two Stabbed to Death

In just a matter of days, two people were stabbed to death in different instances of bloodshed in the Phase IV area in Francistown. (AllAfrica)


Botswana: BDF Major Accused of Applying Military Type Confession Tactics on Gardeners

"Tota Rra o mpolaelang! (why are you killing me?)," said desperate Kenaleone Sebolao to a muscular soldier, who seemed intent on chocking him to death. (AllAfrica)


Sudan: Govt Cracks Down After Daring Attack

The Sudanese government has arrested the Islamist leader, Hassan Abdallah al-Turabi, and top members of his political party in the wake of an unprecedented attack by Darfur rebels in the vicinity of the capital, Khartoum. (AllAfrica)