[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

Nov. 17



KENYA:

Abolish Death Penalty, Says Chepkwony


The death penalty is a human rights violation and should be abolished, Kericho 
Governor Prof Paul Chepkwony has said.

He said people found guilty of capital offences should be imprisoned for life, 
not killed.

Chepkwony said God created mankind and only He is supposed to take life.

"Man has only excelled in landing man on the moon, but has never managed to 
create a human being," he said.

Chepkwony was addressing Power of Mercy Advisory Committee, who had visited him 
after touring Kericho prisons to evaluate the progress of prisoners pardoned by 
the President, on Friday.

He said Kenya should emulate developed countries, which engage criminals jailed 
for life in infrastructure development.

He said this is a better option than confining prisoners in poorly ventilated 
buildings, where some die of contagious diseases.

Chepkwony said this would provide the country with cheap labour and teach the 
prisoners useful skills.

"The kind of life the prisoners undergo in our prisons cannot reform some of 
them. It's hard and inhuman and a sober approach should be adopted like that 
being witnessed in China and other world powers," Chepkwony said.

POMAC chairperson Regina Boisambi said remorseful prisoners can appeal to the 
President for pardon through their parents or prisons in-charge.

Last year 47 prisoners were set free, she said.

Boisambi and her team were on a fact-finding mission on prisoners who are 
remorseful and would like to be pardoned.

Chepkwony said prisoners should be counselled because it has proved effective 
in reforming criminals.

(source: The Star)






INDONESIA:

Reconstruction of a contract killing: Wife accused of paying $14,000 to have 
Australian husband murdered in Bali helps police recreate his murder; Robert 
Kelvin Ellis was murdered in Bali October by 5 men and 2 housemaids paid by his 
wife

A reconstruction of the contract murder of an Australian businessman killed in 
Indonesia has taken place in Bali.

The murder of Robert Kelvin Ellis was ordered by his wife of 20 years, 
Indonesian Julaikah Noor Aini, known as Noor Ellis, who allegedly paid 150 
million rupiah ($AU 14,200) for 5 men to commit the act.

The body of the 60 year old was found wrapped in plastic and dumped in a ditch 
in the rice field near Sedang Village in late October.

He was set upon in his own Bali kitchen by the killers who slashed his throat 
'like killing a pig', police said, after Mrs Ellis employed the men along with 
2 housemaids to clean up the murder.

His wife, who was taken into custody after confessing to her role in the crime, 
helped local officials to recreate the murder of Mr Ellis at home beds in Bali 
on Monday.

The re-enactment involved Mrs Ellis, the 2 maids, and 3 of the men arrested for 
carrying out the murder, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

Police officers filled in to play the roles of 2 wanted suspects who are still 
at large.

1 of the men arrested, known as Urbanas, was told by Mrs Ellis during the 
enactment that 'I only told you that you could kill him but not sadistically.'

Urbanas agreed that she had told him that, and the 2 were snapped showing their 
agreement to the deal by linking pinky fingers.

'There is no doubt this was an execution-style murder,' said a senior police 
officer in the Bali capital, Denpasar.

Mr Ida Bagus Putu Alit, who heads the district's forensic team, said Mr Ellis' 
throat had been slashed 3 times.

'One of the wounds to the throat was fatal, but he also had several bruises 
around his head, suggesting he had been knocked to the ground before receiving 
the fatal throat wound,' said Mr Putu.

During the re-enactment, Mrs Ellis showed how she had paid Aril, the boyfriend 
of one of her maids, 100 million rupia, through the window of a car.

Mr Ellis and his wife had been living in Bali for nearly 20 years, and had 
reportedly been experiencing marital difficulties for the past years, stemming 
from money problems and accusations of infidelity.

'The motive is because his wife felt embittered with the victim,' Badung police 
chief Komang Suartana told News Corp.

'Because of many things. She said that her husband is often cheating on her.'

A mobile phone and a large mat was found in close proximity to the body, local 
authorities said.

Detective Wisnu Wardana said the body is believed to have been lying in the 
ditch for several days as it was in a state of decay.

The rice paddy where the body was found lies between the popular coastal area 
of Kuta and the hillside town of Ubud.

'There was a deep wound to the neck that had almost completely cut the head,' 
said Detective Wisnu.

If Mrs Ellis is found guilty of premeditated murder, the charge against her, 
she will face the death penalty under Indonesian law.

The couple's sons Jon and Peter Ellis, both Perth-based students, released a 
statement which said that their father was a huge influence in their lives.

They were 'completely devastated' by his death, they said.

'The circumstances surrounding the death of our father is something we are 
still trying to come to terms with at this moment.'

'We are fortunately surrounded by friends and family.'

'We do ask for people to understand our need for privacy at this extremely 
difficult and sad time for us.'

(source: Daily Mail)