WHEN IS KOOKY TO BE DEPORTED?

We are inquiring about the state of Kooky deportation

After spending 12 years behind bars at Luzira Maximum Security Prisons for murdering his wife, Sharma Kooky is now a free man. President Yoweri Museveni pardoned him! Now basking in freedom, Kooky reportedly tortured his wife to death by electrocuting her at their family residence in Old Kampala Martin road a dozen years ago. In 2000, the High Court sentenced to death Kooky and his younger brother Davinder Kumar after they were found guilty of torturing and killing Renu Joshi. LEGISLATORS WANT KOOKY DEPORTED Posted by Mercy Nalugo on Thursday, March 29 2012 at 00:00 Women lawmakers have protested a decision by President Museveni to set free Asian businessman Sharma Kooky, who was in 2002 found guilty of murdering his wife Renu Joshi. The President, on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy, on Monday pardoned Kooky who was sentenced to death about 12 years ago. The President’s decision has, however, attracted uproar from particularly human rights bodies and women activists who have accused him of accelerating domestic violence. The activists have also questioned the criteria the President used to set Kooky free. The legislators, under their organisation, Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA), yesterday demanded that government, particularly the Office of the Presidency, explains to Parliament which criteria was used to set Kooky free and not any other convicted prisoners charged under the same offence. The legislators castigated the President as they accused him of segregation in favour of those from a rich background and not those little known to him. “We detest in the strongest terms the release of Kooky and we want to register our disapproval to the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy and the President under the guise of humanitarian ground,” said UWOPA Chairperson Betty Amongi. She added: “The 50-year punishment earlier set by court was not even proportionate to the crime he committed. What we are seeing now is a case of domestic violence going unpunished and the President is assuring rich husbands that when they are convicted, they can be pardoned.” She said Kooky should be deported immediately if President Museveni does not rescind his decision of getting him back in jail. Ms Margaret Kiboijana, the chairperson for UWOPA’s Gender Budgeting Committee, said the President must have been misguided. “Some women in Luzira are suffering on trumped-up charges and the President is busy forgiving Kooky. Are we now saying more men should burn up their women and we set them free. We must examine and revisit the constitutional provision so that there is a clear criteria for one to be pardoned,” Ms Kiboijana said, adding that as a way of marking the 50 years of Uganda’s independence, all the other prisoners should also be pardoned. Article 121 of the Constitution gives the President powers to pardon convicts on the advice of the Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy chaired by the Attorney General. The last presidential pardon was in 2009 when President Museveni set free Chris Rwakasisi, the former security minister in the Obote 11 regime. mnalugo@ug.nationmedia.com