A COMMERCIAL motorcyclist Niyi Owolabi Saheed, whose motorcycle was allegedly stolen by Police Corporal Goroye Folagbade, has cried out against incessant threats to his life and his family by policemen of Ikorodu division. Corporal Folagbade served in Ikorodu division before his dismissal from the Force.
The motorcyclist told Codewit.com, that Goroye’s colleagues have been trailing him and threatening to kill or maim him, especially now that their colleague has been relieved of his job. The Okada rider said he is now confused and fed up with life as the officers promised to “eliminate me at all cost”.
Niyi, an illiterate whose case with the Nigeria Police is still in court in respect of the stolen motorcycle, told Codewit that Goroye’s colleagues wrote something on a paper and asked him to sign but he politely told them he could neither read nor write. He was thereafter forced to thumb-print the said document under duress.
The Okada rider who was jittery during our visit, said he was handcuffed and beaten up by the said policemen within the Court premises. He said: “They told me since you have decided to expose our friend to the media, we shall kill you here in Lagos or anywhere in the world; you will never escape us”.
Meanwhile, Motorcycles Association of Lagos State, MOALS, who took the case to court seem to be beating a gradual retreat and have left the poor Niyi to his fate as they no longer appear in court or render support to their embattled colleague.
MOALS chairman, Tijani Pekis, did not respond to VM’s calls. Efforts to reach Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, also proved abortive as her lines were left unattended to.
It would be recalled that the said the corporal seized the motorcycle from Niyi, over his violation of the new traffic law late last year. Efforts by Niyi to recover the bike failed, as he was informed that it has been transferred to Alausa for crushing. But on January 10, 2013, Niyi reportedly found his motorcycle with another rider identified as Ismail Olomitutu, around Anibaba area of Ikorodu and raised alarm. Olomitutu confessed to have bought the motorcycle from Corporal Goroye for N55,000. This led to the latter’s dismissal from Nigeria Police Force.
Sources hinted that the dismissed corporal had accomplices within the Force, including some of his superiors in the division. It was also said that Goroye was a humble and diligent officer in the division before he was implicated in the crime.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Alhamdullilah, I am a Muslim. In spite of the torrent of criticisms by mostly those who refused to learn and those who learned but refused to be guided by the truth; and allowed sentiments to obfuscate their judgement, I am proud to be a Muslim.
It is however unfortunate that the actions of some of those who profess to be Muslims have continued to typify acts that are at variance to the teachings of Islam and in a bid to concretise their egocentric actions, they illegally pronounce jihad killing and abducting innocent people.
By so doing, they help the ignorant non-Muslims to further distort Islamic ideals and paint Islam in an undeserving colour. Rather than the true philosophy of peace in this life and in hereafter, they ascribe different negative meaning to it. All over the world, we have seen cases of anti-Islamic movements by some groups with Islamic connotations.
But no matter how they try, what can never be distorted is the Holy Quran and the practice contained in the hadiths. Allah knew all these will happen before He said ‘He will guide and protect the Book from distortion and that is the joy and pride of every true Muslim today as it remains the only Book that has not been tampered with, revised or edited in history of man.
Few days ago, a curious guy asked about the position of Islam on kidnapping and killings suggesting that these evil acts are tickets to paradise.
Perhaps, it was as a result of development in the country, with particular reference to the kidnap of seven foreign workers which Al-Qaeda claimed were in the custody of Jamatul Ansaru as well as the monstrosity of the Boko Haram, killing of the innocent unarmed health workers among others; but we will continue to say this that neither the Quran nor Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) permits such devilish act and can never be a ticket to paradise.
I was very pleased to answer this question because it will help those who don’t know and sincerely want to know the teachings of Islam! First of all, I would like to stress that Islam forbids targeting non-combatants by killing or by kidnapping or taking them as hostages, or inflicting any kind of injury on them. There are rules on how to deal with even those who wage war against Islam. One of the rules of conduct of jihad in Islam that the Prophet (s.a.w) highly stressed is “Do not kill a woman, a child, an old man, or a monk in his monastery; do not cut down trees.” In another version of the hadith he is reported to have said, “…do not kill traders (businessmen) or farmers.”
These clearly mean that it is strictly forbidden to target non-combatants by killing or kidnapping or taking them as hostages, or inflicting any kind of harm on them.
Even if they are combatants, there are rules on how to deal with them. If a Muslim is defending himself or his homeland, he is supposed to be a noble fighter, and that includes fighting with courage and mercy at the same time, and preserving the rights of the defenceless people.
He is not permitted to harm anyone that is not armed. Even in the battlefield during the time of the Prophet in Badr, Uhud, Khandaq and others, Muslims didn’t raise their swords against anyone without a sword. It was not permitted. There are rules guiding the prisoners of war.
Allah Most High has told us in the Qur’an in Suratul Maidah (5:8-9):
O you who believe, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do.
Allah has promised those who believe and do righteous deeds [that] for them there is forgiveness and great reward.
Those who take the law into their own hands are only desperados who use Islam to further their personal interest; they have nothing to do with Islam, they have not learned that from Prophet Muhammad who was sent as a mercy to all humanity, a light of guidance, and a model for mankind. Islam is a religion that is based on Divine Revelation which is encapsulated in the Holy Quran and the Hadiths.
It stands without doubt that these rules of conduct have been recorded in history as noble characteristics of Muslims. I have said it severally in this column that, the wars the early Muslims fought were essentially defensive as a result of persecution and threat to their lives. Islam has gained ground and widely accepted.
Besides; the promise of Allah to keep the religion will continue till the end of time. Today, the image of Islam and Muslims is been battered by the activities of these outlaws on the pretext of fighting for Islam. Every Muslim should be responsible for his action, you cannot use the action of the few to judge the majority.
The individuals behind such actions as kidnappings and killings in the country are motivated by their raw passions and not that of Islam. They may be Muslims but that does not mean their actions represent the ideals of Islam.
If Saudi Arabia some years ago in the wake of the Osama Bin Laden terror acts, could denounce the activities of the late leader of Al-Qaeda, then those who know little or nothing about Islam should better learn that acts of terrorism is not accepted in Islam.
Etiquette of Islamic marriage
By Harun Rasaq
In Islam, marriage is ‘aqd,a contract. And there are three conditions for the marriage contract in Islam: Both parties should be free from any obstacles that might render the marriage invalid, such as their being mahrams of one another, or where the man is a kaafir and so on.
There should be an offer or proposal (ijaab) from the walii or the person who is acting in his place, who should say to the groom “I marry so-and-so to you” or similar words. There should be an expression of acceptance (qabuul) on the part of the groom or whoever is acting in his place, who should say, “I accept,” or similar words.
The conditions of a proper nikaah are that: Both the bride and groom should be clearly identified, whether by stating their names or describing them, etc. They should be pleased with one another. The one who does the contract on the woman’s behalf should be her walii, because the Prophet (SAW) said: “Any woman who marries without the permission of her walii, her marriage is invalid, her marriage is invalid, and her marriage is invalid.”
There is no marriage contract except with a walii and two witnesses and it must be announced. In addition, there could be a celebration of the marriage but in accordance to shari’ah. It is disheartening that despite the wider acceptance of Islam in Nigeria and in Yoruba land in particular, a number of un-Islamic practices based on local customs are diffused into the Islamic concept of marriage.
However, I will make a particular reference to one conducted recently in Eti-Osa, Lagos. I commend Alhaji, (Hon.) Yahyah A. Dosunmu, the Seriki Adinni of Eti-Osa and Baba Adinni of Ajah Central Mosque, on the way the nikkah ceremony of his daughter, Sister Simbiat Bukola Dosunmu and Brother Abdul Ganiy was conducted.
It must be noted that the more the teachings of Islam are followed in the wedding ceremonies, the more blessed the union will be, the more love and harmony will be between the couple, and the less problems they will encounter in life as couple.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Chief (Mrs.) Mercy Orji, the first lady of Abia State in this interview reviews her activities in the last six years and asserts that the inputs she has made to the development of the state will last for a very long time. Excerpts:
How did you conceive the idea of this empowerment and skill acquisition programmes? The idea was conceived about three years before I assumed office as wife of the Governor of Abia State. Before then, I was already visiting and rendering assistance to the less privileged in the society including orphanages and other charity organizations.I was doing that because of my passion to uplift the lives of such people, considering the difficulties they undergo.
So, when we came on board, I decided to embark on the construction of a skill acquisition centre to enable the youths and women to be trained in various trades that can empower them economically. I sincerely believed that the learning of trade will go a long way in assisting them to cope with the present economic realities in the country. I also hope that by so doing, it will help them to realise their dreams in life.
Who are the beneficiaries of the skill acquisition centre? The beneficiaries are the youths. The training period is one year but some people are allowed to undergo six months training but it depends on the type of trade they are learning. Apart from giving them equipment after their graduation, we also support them financially to enable them set up the business of their choice.
What exactly can you say that is motivating you in what you are doing? Honestly, the whole thing was influenced by my personal experience in life. I want to use this opportunity to specially thank my husband for being there for me always.
I was able to realise this dream today through his active support both morally and financially. This skill acquisition centre is offering about 10 trades namely: ICT/Information and Technology, fashion designing and interior decoration, shoe making, electrical, catering and home management, radio repairs, plumbing, wielding, and GSM repairs.
Are there plans to sustain this centre after you leave office? We have capable hands that can run the centre after I must have left office. For example, the Permanent Secretary in Women Affairs and Social Development which is affiliated to my office, is a no nonsense woman. When I leave office the next person that will come in will not allow the project to collapse because the whole programme is targeted at youths, men and women empowerment.
Most Abians fondly call you Osinulomaranma, how did you come about the name? Well, the name was given to me by my husband’s people during the time I wanted to build health centre for them. There was no land until I finally saw a piece of land that was not up to one plot. When I approached the owners of the land they said because of me that they would release it to me.
This happened before we came into office. The original plan was to build a bungalow but I ended up building a storey building in my husband’s village. When the women and men saw this they marveled. They were the people that gave me Osinulomaranma which means one that starts her good work right from the home.
How would you want to be remembered after leaving office? I will like to be remembered for good; for the good work I have done in Abia State . I want to leave a legacy so that I will be remembered just like my husband who is leaving behind very good legacy in the state.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
African Utility Week to focus on getting investors excited about power projects on the continent
“The private sector will have to play a crucial role”
The new GET FiT investment mechanism which brings private and public investors together, the proposed BRICS Bank and China’s funding relationship with Africa are some of the updates featured during the Investment & Finance track of the upcoming African Utility Week conference and expo from 14-15 May in Cape Town. The event brings together more than 5000 power professionals across the entire ecosystem for the African water and power sectors.
“The power sector has to fight for its share of investment, private or public, like any other sector out there”, says Claire Volkwyn, African Utility Week’s programme director, “and while we sometimes need to be a little creative or innovative in how the funding of deals is put together, in terms of guarantee mechanisms etc., the African power sector remains a massive opportunity for financiers.”
Dr Jan Martin Witte, Senior Project Manager at KfW Development Bank in Germany, is one of the high-level speakers on the programme and will inform delegates about the new GET FiT renewable energy funding mechanism by which the private sector is incentivised to get involved.
Addressing the financial challenges
He says the GET FiT mechanism was designed to help finance ready-to-build small scale renewable energy projects in Uganda and address the financial challenges, particularly the comparatively low REFiT tariff schedule and the recent liquidity crisis at the Uganda Electricity Transmission Company which has undermined investor confidence.
Dr Witte explains how GET FiT will address these issues: “at the request of the government of Uganda, the World Bank is to cover the political and commercial risk through a modified version of its Partial Risk Guarantee product. Furthermore, KfW has raised funding from Norway, UK (International Climate Fund), Germany and EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund in order to provide a tariff top-up of two additional dollar cents on the current rate. At this stage, Norway and the UK have committed funding to the programme.”
He says this will provide a strong incentive for private developers to bring projects to market: “it will also encourage commercial banks to enter the sector. The implementation of the programme is anticipated in February this year when the first request for proposals will be sent out and published.”
Unique funding concept The KfW Senior Project Manager says this concept is unique and innovative “because we try to incentivise the private sector to get involved and so leverage more private capital for investments in renewable energy generation in Africa. The traditional way in the past would be to provide cheap credit lines to commercial banks in countries to finance these projects. Our mechanism will provide support directly to projects. The combination of the proposed World Bank guarantee mechanism (which would for the first time be applied to a series of smaller renewable energy generation projects) and the GET FiT tariff increment is something that has not been done before.”
He says furthermore that in development projects the money is usually provided upfront. “However”, he explains, “in this case, we will provide the tariff increment to the investors once the projects have delivered electricity – we shift the entire performance risk to the private sector.”
KfW plans to kick off the first GET FiT financed projects in Uganda and is also looking at countries such as Zambia, Rwanda, Ghana and Tanzania for future implementation. Says Dr Jan Martin Witte: “the legal and regulatory framework conditions for private investments in energy must be right – we do not expect easy replication of GET FiT from Uganda to other markets.”
PPPs the way forward According to dr Witte African governments and donors alone will not be able to finance the huge energy infrastructure requirements of the continent. He notes: “the private sector will have to play a crucial role, by providing capital and expertise. Proper regulatory and legally enabling conditions need to be in place, however, for the private sector to come on board. GET FiT is one small way in which donors and DFIs can support reform-minded governments in the region to leverage private capital for investment.”
More expert topics and speakers in the Investment & Finance track at Africa Utility Week include:
·Potential for generation, transmission and distribution in Ethiopia Minister Womdimu Tekle, Minister of State, Water and Energy, Ethiopia
Regulatory frameworks governing tariff determination across Africa
Joseph Kapika, Researcher: Management Programme in Infrastructure Reform & Regulation, University of Cape Town, South Africa
·Cost reflective tariffs: Balancing commercial and socio-economic imperatives Dr Sam Amadi, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria
BRICS Development Bank
Dr Sam Muradzikwa, Chief Economist, Development Bank of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe
Innovative funding can change the face of your project
Carlo Van Wageningen, Chairman, Lake Turkana
China's funding relationship with Africa
Senior representative, China-Africa Development Fund, China
The EU/Universal Access Fund
Kjell Larsson, Energy Advisor, European Commission, Belgium
Funding power projects with local finance: Rwanda's 15MW peat project
Charles Nyirahuku, Manager: Peat, Methane & Petroleum, EWSA, Rwanda
African Utility Week dates and location: Exhibition & Conference: 14-15 May 2013 Pre-conference Workshops: 13 May 2013
Site Visits: 16 May 2013 Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
About African Utility Week African Utility Week brings together the entire ecosystem for the African water and power sector, from high level government representatives, utilities and municipalities, regulators and power pools to consultants, vendors, service providers and energy intensive power users for the purpose of sharing and determining the future development of Africa’s power industry.
Spintelligent Spintelligent is part of Clarion Events, a global business-to-business event organiser with over 500 staff in offices in the UK, Netherlands, United States, South Africa, Brazil, UAE and Singapore. Spintelligent forms part of Clarion’s specialist energy and utilities portfolio which also includes Synergy and The Energy Exchange. Spintelligent has established itself as the key strategic information provider to the global metering, meter-to-cash and customer-end technology sector and as a specialist in African infrastructure development, with a focus on the power and mining sectors.
For more than 13 years, Spintelligent has been building, sharing, connecting and thinking about the business sectors we serve. Our industry leading media products – publications, online portals, conferences, exhibitions, industry reports – enable us to share knowledge and insights, build relationships and deliver real business value to our customers and stakeholders.
Spintelligent is recognised for its print and electronic publications, with market-leading brands including Metering International, ESI Africa and Mining Review Africa. Its regular global events and exhibitions, as well as its critical business intelligence and integrated marketing services make it a leader in its field. The company’s highly skilled resources in management, marketing, research and production allow for unique products bridging the developed and developing worlds.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
NORTHPORT, N.Y. (WABC) — It was a once in a lifetime trip to the Dark Continent that for one Long Island couple got even darker.
But after getting stranded on a dusty patch four hours outside Nairobi, they called long distance for help from 7 On Your Side.
It was sold as exotic African safari, but this was the only wildlife these tourists found.
"From a trip of a lifetime, this turned out to be the most frightening experience I could ever imagine," said Fran Zeiler, 2Afrika customer.
An African safari topped Fran and Joel Zeiler's bucket list, so they saved the $8,296 and paid 2Afrika for a grand tour.
But just two days into it, there was trouble.
"The driver said we can't go on with the trip," Fran Zeiler said.
The African tour guide said he was never paid by 2Afrika. The trip was over.
And 15 tourists got dumped on a dusty Kenyan road.
"So what was your reaction when this happened?" 7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda asked.
"Shock," Joel Zeiler said.
They were stranded in a town on the state department watch list and were warned to get out of there by the American Embassy.
"I was terrified. Terrified," Fran Zeiler said.
Frantic calls to 2Afrika never resulted in the money coming.
The Zeiler's and their group scrambled to salvage their safari, paying thousands extra to get on another tour and get home safely.
"I can't believe this man is still out there. I don't know how he sleeps at night," Fran Zeiler said.
She's talking about Kenneth Hieber, the owner of 2Afrika, who sells tours twice a week on his online travel program.
More than a year ago, Hieber promised the troubled tourists a full refund.
"I have no respect for him at all," Joel Zeiler said.
But, no one got a refund. So 7 On Your Side went to his Jersey City apartment.
He never answered, but by phone he told 7 On Your Side he's broke and can't pay anyone back. Yet, Kenneth Heiber boasts about his brand new kitchen with granite counter tops on Facebook.
"I have total disgust," Fran Zeiler said.
We turned disgust to dinero.
Luckily, Fran and Joel paid for the tour with a credit card.
And after 7 On Your Side appealed the charges, Chase came through with more than $7,000.
To top it off, after the travel insurance company twice denied their claim, our intervention succeeded in getting coverage for $1,735.
The Zeiler's got even more money for a total of $8,700 back.
"Unless you have someone like 7 On Your Side behind you, you're not getting anything done," Joel Zeiler said.
Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness News
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Continental Broadcasting Service (CBS) Nigeria Limited has concluded arrangements for the soft launch of TVC News, a pan-African 24-hour news channel, which will air across Africa from the end of February and go live in April 2013.
The TV channel , which is based in Lagos, will follow a similar model as other international 24 hour news channels, like the British Broadcasting Corporation , Cable News Network Inc. and Al Jazeera.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of CBS, Mr. Nigel Parson, who spoke to newsmen at the media tour of the TVC news facilities, the TV channel aims to become Africa’s leading news channel by bringing the latest new, breaking news and other informative programmes from across Africa and the world.
Parson stated that TVC news was set up to look at the world through African eyes; and serve as a voice for Africa and Africans on the street to be heard on the global scene.
He said: “For a long time now, issues concerning Africa and Africans have been overwhelmingly reported by the foreign media, thus a need to bring the African news the African way to the African people.”
Parson added that too many foreign channels only report deaths and disasters in Africa.
“There is a lot to celebrate, business is booming in Africa; TVC news is focused on projecting Africa’s voice at the global scene. It is a medium for all Africans living in Africa and the Diaspora to be heard. The TV station with its state-of-art equipment, veteran broadcasters and visionary leadership is on the right track to achieving the set target.” he added.
He stated that what sets the TV channel apart is the coverage of under-reported regions, in-depth and reliable source of journalism and news coverage across Africa and the world; enabled by bureaux and correspondents all around the world.
“TVC news is committed to excellence that will engage the viewer with fearless truth telling and informative reporting, leveraging on technology and veteran broadcasters,” he said.
Parson added that the TV channel, which is pioneered in Lagos, will have offices in Abuja, in Port Harcourt, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Accra and Dakar.
He said “TVC News will join other pan-African stations, such as Johannesburg-based eNCA, which became South Africa’s first 24- hour news channel four years ago. With its facilities, TVC news can compete favourable with other international broadcasters for viewers.”
He explained that the TV channel would run half hour stations to support the life style of Africans; the culture and environment, health, women and children and many more subjects which would appeal to any ordinary African.
According to him, the TVC will air on British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY) in the United Kingdom, Startimes TV in Nigeria, Multi TV in Ghana, other cable stations in United States and Kenya, disclosing that the firm was still talking with South Africa’s Multichoice.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
(CODEWIT) — A stuffy, overcrowded cell. At times, two or three men to a single bunk. Lock-down for 23 out of 24 hours.
Is this what awaits South Africa's Oscar Pistorius if he is not released on bail while he awaits trial for the murder of his girlfriend?
Some of South Africa's prisons are better than others.
But whichever one might house Pistorius, there's no question that conditions will be a far cry from those in his $560,000 home in the luxury Silverwoods Estate, on the outskirts of Pretoria.
South African prisons are frequently overcrowded, putting a strain on sanitation, ventilation and medical care, according to Nooshin Erfani-Ghadimi, project coordinator for the Johannesburg-based Wits Justice Project , a civil society group.
The overcrowding means three men may share a single cell, or communal cells for 40 people are jammed with double the number they were intended to hold, sleeping in double or triple bunks, she said.
"We heard of one person who for the first year in in remand detention slept on the floor and then 'graduated' to a bunk," she said.
Many inmates are kept locked up for 23 hours a day, with only an hour outside their cell. Some prisons go into lockdown as early as 3 or 4 p.m., leaving prisoners cooped up for 12 hours or more at a stretch.
"It's not a pretty picture," Erfani-Ghadimi said.
Overcrowding is a particular problem in remand prisons, where it runs at just over 200%, Erfani-Ghadimi said, citing figures from the Department of Correctional Services. Overall, overcrowding in prisons stands at about 133%.
And Pretoria Central Prison, perhaps the most likely destination for Pistorius if he doesn't get bail, "doesn't have a very good reputation," according to Erfani-Ghadimi.
Special treatment?
The track star's high profile case is likely to thrust South Africa's criminal justice system under the spotlight.
Questions have already been asked about why Pistorius, a gold-medal winning Paralympian, is being detained in a holding cell at the Brooklyn Police Station — and not at Central Prison or Newlock, where other defendants awaiting trial are kept.
"If there is some special circumstance that permits this, authorities must share this with the public as they are setting a bad precedent," the women's branch of South Africa's ruling party said in a statement. "All should be treated equally before the law no matter your standing in society."
Pistorius is also getting special treatment, the African National Congress Women's League said, adding that his family can visit him outside visiting hours — unlike relatives of other inmates.
"If Pistorious is denied bail, he must be moved to a proper prison facility with others accused of similar crimes," the statement said. "A strong message must be sent out that wealth and celebrity cannot give you an advantage over the law."
The 26-year-old has rejected the murder allegation "in the strongest terms," his agent said in a statement
Pistorius' lawyers requested Brooklyn last week so that they could have access to their client over the weekend, following his arrest Thursday. The state did not object.
The case of Shrien Dewani, a British man accused of hiring hitmen to kill his wife on their South African honeymoon, cast the country's criminal justice system in an unflattering light. His lawyers argued last year that his extradition would breach his human rights under European law because he risked being attacked by other inmates in South African prisons.
While British High Court judges dismissed that part of Dewani's argument, concerns over potential torture and abuse in detention are warranted, according to Erfani-Ghadimi.
South Africa is a signatory to the U.N. Convention on Torture but it has yet to ratify it — so such abuses have not been criminalized.
"A legacy of apartheid is that prison cells are still unfortunately a place where prisoners can be abused," Erfani-Ghadimi said.
Amnesty International's Annual Report 2012, looking at human rights around the world, also comments that a draft law to make torture a criminal offense had not been presented in South Africa's parliament by the end of the year.
Human dignity
Nevertheless, said Erfani-Ghadimi, the problem doesn't lie in South Africa's laws so much as in the ability of the justice system to cope with the number of inmates in the system.
South Africa's constitution and its bill of rights with regards to prisoners' rights are among the best in the world, she said. "Unfortunately that doesn't necessarily translate into practice."
She believes that conditions are improving, however, thanks in part to the strength of those constitutional rights and the work of civil society organizations campaigning for change.
And Pistorius, if he ends up spending time on remand or is eventually convicted and jailed, should find that his particular medical needs as a double amputee are taken into account, she said.
This could mean that he is sent to a prison with better medical facilities or wheelchair access, she suggested.
According to the bill of rights, prisoners are entitled to "be detained in conditions that are consistent with human dignity, including at least exercise and the provision, at state expense, of adequate accommodation, nutrition, medical treatment."
According to official figures for 2011 to 2012, there were 158,790 prison inmates in South Africa, a nation of nearly 52 million, of whom about 30% were on remand awaiting trial.
This compares with some 2.2 million people incarcerated in prisons or jail in the United States at the end of 2011, according to U.S. Department of Justice figures. Crowding in U.S. prisons stood at 39% over capacity in 2011, according to a Government Accountability Office report.
Long wait for trial
Erfani-Ghadimi blames systemic problems for South Africa's overcrowding. One issue is that the police are quick to arrest people, she said, and they have only 48 hours from arrest to bring charges.
After they are charged, many suspects cannot afford to make bail or hire a lawyer and so are forced to spend months or even years behind bars awaiting trial, she said.
Investigations are often poorly run and court rooms can be overcrowded, adding to the hurdles faced by those on remand, she said.
"Because the system is cumbersome and slow, there's a lot of people stuck waiting — and that means the conditions are not by any means ideal," she added.
A "statement of agreed factual findings" filed in a Constitutional Court ruling in December, in favor of a man who contracted tuberculosis while imprisoned, gives an insight into what could lie ahead for Pistorius.
The statement describes the conditions Dudley Lee endured in Cape Town's Pollsmoor Maximum Security Prison — where Nelson Mandela was once held — before he was eventually acquitted and freed.
Prisoners going to court appearances were "stuffed into vans like sardines," it said. Holding cells at court were also "jam-packed." Meanwhile, conditions back at the prison were far from pleasant — though ideal for the spread of disease.
Packed, smoky cells
The air inside the communal cells, locked down without cross-ventilation for up to 15 hours a day, was thick with cigarette smoke, the statement said. Even after Lee was diagnosed with TB, he was kept in a cell with other prisoners. He "begged, bullied and bribed" to get the medication he needed.
As a world famous athlete, Pistorius has money to pay for good defense attorneys, unlike many in the South African justice system. He stated his annual income was 5.6 million Rand ($631,000) at his bail hearing this week.
Nonetheless, his lawyers face an uphill battle on the bail issue, with South African law requiring evidence of "exceptional circumstances" to justify the release for defendants accused of premeditated murder.
If they fail, Pistorius could face several months on remand before his case goes to trial. And if convicted on a charge of premeditated murder, he would face 25 years in prison before he was eligible for parole.
His lawyers will be trying to make sure that doesn't happen.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
South Africa will host the fifth BRICS Summit in Durban next month – with the aim of harnessing the country's membership to benefit the entire African continent.
This is according to Fadl Nacerodien, the Chief Director at the Policy Research and Analysis Unit of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
Nacerodien was delivering a keynote address to mark the official opening of the seventh annual Africa Institute of South Africa's (AISA) Young Graduates and Scholars conference (AYGS) at the Quest Conference Estate, North West University Vaal Triangle campus, on Tuesday.
He said the BRICS summit, which starts on March 27, would present a unique high-level opportunity for South Africa to further support key priority areas of the African Agenda.
BRICS is an acronym for the powerful grouping of the world's leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The first BRIC Summit took place in Yekateringburg, Russia, where the elected leaders of the four countries formally declared the membership of the BRIC economic bloc. South Africa joined the bloc in 2010, resulting in BRICS.
"The mobilisation of support for the African Agenda is a key priority of South Africa's foreign policy," Nacerodien told the AYGS conference hall, which was full to capacity.
He said the BRICS have given impetus to Africa's economic emergence and contributed significantly to the relevance and status of the continent.
"Over the past decade, we have witnessed a dramatic increase in commercial and strategic engagements between the BRICS countries and Africa," he said.
Nacerodien is one of DIRCO's representatives attending the AYGS conference from 19 – 21 February.
The AYGS conference provides a platform for emerging African scholars to engage and exchange insights in the debates pertaining to the challenges faced by African societies, and in discussions about the way forward for the upliftment of African value systems and the ultimate integration of the African continent.
According to AISA's Interim CEO, Professor Phindile Lukhele-Olorunju, the AYGS is one of AISA's capacity-building programmes, which is aimed at providing research skills and experience, as well as the publishing and communication platforms for emerging young African scholars.
AISA is one of the science councils funded by the South African government through the Department of Science and Technology.
It was recently ranked number five out of the top 50 think tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa by the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.
The conference presenters are young scholars from different universities across the African continent including South Africa. These comprise students from the University of Zimbabwe, University of Bamako in Mali, Moi University in Kenya as well as major South African universities such as Rhodes University, University of Venda, Wits, University of Johannesburg, University of Pretoria and North-West University's three campuses, amongst others.
This year's conference is held under the theme, 2050 – Africa's future on the horizon: Prospects and challenges for development.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
(CODEWIT) — A snow storm is rolling into the Plains states Thursday, triggering winter storm warnings and watches in an area covering 800,000 square miles in 18 states.
About 30 million people live in its path.
Dodge City, Kansas, "is in the middle of a bull's eye," said CNN Meteorologist Chad Myers. The state should see 16-18 inches of snow west of Wichita and up into Nebraska.
CNN affiliate KSNW in Wichita reported that crews had treated roads Monday, but no matter how much salt and sand they spread, by Wednesday morning primary roads were snow-packed and slick. Side streets were worse.
On Wednesday the system left a rare thin layer of snow across the deserts of Arizona, New Mexico and Southern California — as far south as the border with Mexico.
A large system
The storm system is huge and also has a warmer, wetter Southern component.
It will eventually stretch from the Dakotas to Houston, Texas, Myers said. While it will remain snowy in the north, it will spawn torrential rains and tornadoes along the Gulf Coast.
It will also dump freezing rain over Arkansas and Missouri, Myers said.
"There's going to be a monster ice storm over Springfield (and) Branson, Missouri. Think of an inch of ice coating everything," he said. "Power lines will be coming down. Trees will be coming down."
In St. Louis, freezing rain is predicted to fall on top of a thin layer of snow, having "a significant impact on travel," the National Weather Service warned.
North of where the most snow will fall, Chicago could receive as much as 4 inches, Myers said.
Southern downpours
Severe thunderstorms moving in from the Gulf of Mexico are expected to dump from 2 to 6 inches of rain over New Orleans and Montgomery, Alabama, according to CNN's weather center, before rolling up toward Atlanta.
The torrential rains could lead to significant river flooding, as flood watches are still in effect from last week's heavy rains.
Heavy winds, hail and tornadoes are possible, the National Weather Service says. Downpours are expected to continue into Friday.
CNN Meteorologists Chad Myers and Pedram Javaheri contributed to this report.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A French family of seven kidnapped in Cameroon earlier this week have been freed and rescued in Nigeria, French media are reporting.
"They are safe and well," a Cameroonian military source is quoted as saying.
The three adults and four children were seized during a holiday, causing alarm in France and prompting it to warn all French citizens to leave the area.
French President Francois Hollande speculated they had been taken by the violent Islamist group Boko Haram.
But French media on Thursday morning quoted sources in Cameroon saying they had been found.
The French veterans minister Kader Arif confirmed the news, but then backtracked, saying there was no official confirmation.
Stayed overnight
The family – a couple, their children aged five, eight, 10 and 12 and an uncle – were snatched on Tuesday in northern Cameroon by six gunmen on three motorbikes, the French news agency AFP reports.
They had been returning from a visit to Waza National Park – which is described as a beautiful landscape, trodden by giraffes, elephants and antelopes – where they had spend the previous night.
The family are reported to live in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, where the father worked.
The French government had said it believed they had been taken across the border into Nigeria following their abduction – apparently confirmed by the reports of their release.
"They were found abandoned in a house in Dikwa" in Nigeria, about 100km [60 miles] from the border with Niger, a senior Cameroonian officer told AFP.
"They are in the hands of the Nigerian authorities."
On Wednesday, France urged its citizens to leave north Cameroon "as quickly as possible".
The French foreign ministry said on its website citizens were "officially advised not to go to the far north of Cameroon (the shores of Lake Chad in the South Maroua), and the border with Nigeria, until further notice".
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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