Death penalty should be abolished from our statutory books - Emile Short

The Former Commissioner on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) Justice Emile Short has suggested that death penalty should be abolished from the country’s statutory books.

According to him, death penalty does not serve as a deterrent to people who commit crimes.

Speaking on Ultimate Breakfast Show hosted by Lantam Papanko, Justice Short bemoaned the horrific treatment suspects slapped with death penalty go through in prisons.

According to him, conditions at the cells will be a lot better if death penalty is abolished and suspects are rather given life imprisonment.

‘There is the need for the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), CHRAJ and the media to sensitise people to understand that it is imperative to abolish death penalty,’ he suggested.

He called on the government to revive the constitutional review commission which recommended its abolishing.

‘There is no doubt that death penalty should be abolished. As a country, we don’t believe in carrying out death penalty but its just in our statutory books. The constitutional review commission recommended that it should be abolished. And government white paper accepted that, so its only left for the implementation of the recommendation which requires a referendum,’ he opined.

Touching on instant justice, the Former Commissioner of CHRAJ suggested that persons involved in the acts without resorting to the law should be prosecuted.

He believes this will serve as deterrent to offenders who beat suspected thieves to death.

Justice Short said it is inhumane to subject suspects to severe beatings which lead to death.

‘I think its most unfortunate, its despicable act, in a country where we believe in the rule of law and respect for human rights such incidence should not happen, everybody is innocent until proven guilty, the law must take its cause, its not for individuals to take the laws into their own hands. I don’t know the mentality of those who commit do such acts, the bestial instincts in some people which give rise to such acts, I think we need to condemn it in no uncertain terms,’ he said.