The trial for the destruction of a plot of Bt maize has been deferred, and the legal system now loses credibility and is guilty of denying justice.
Tuesday, March 27 was the date of the trial of the 36 “volunteer reaper”s [Faucheurs Volontaires] who deliberately destroyed 6 hectares of maize on two farms in July last year, completely annihilating the work done on the plot and the income that would have come from it. For these reasons, the farmers filed a complaint, taking legal action against the perpetrators of these acts of vandalism. AGPM, the General Association of Maize Growers, also filed a civil suit.
Do we need to point out, yet again, that the Bt maize was being grown quite legally? These were authorised varieties grown in compliance with strict farming rules. After eight months of investigation and procedures, it was time for the long awaited court hearing to seek compensation for damage to property and psychological damage, and for an unambiguous verdict to be handed down in the case of these “reapers”.
Now the pretext is that “a candidate in the presidential elections cannot be treated as an ordinary citizen”; this was the argument pleaded by the defence. So where is the independence of the legal system when the farmers who suffered the damage are now, after such acts of vandalism, faced with an unacceptable delay in the processing of their case?
With the courts refusing to hear a case on violation of ownership rights and of property and personal rights by ruling that the case should be deferred, without giving any clear reason (the only one no doubt being lack of courage), the legal system has now lost credibility and has shown contempt for the legitimate requests of the victims.
Be brave! Let’s run away