A 131 page decision (in french) on awards to victim of crimes by Germain Katanga was delivered last month. The initial 16 year sentence was passed on March 2014. So, it took almost three years for victims to be given $250 (KSH 250,000 roughly). Now, the calendar is marked to follow up on how the awards will be implemented.
Coming from a society that is marred with a negative outlook at the existence of ICC, it is imperative that the implementation works. Or in the least, seem to work. It has to. Word on the street (well, more like_on a bus) already, is that some victims might not get their fair share as the system is bound to face some hitches either at ground level; or right from the top. The dates of the order, and decisions of the court was also thrown into the mix. Apparently, it is suspicious that the order was given over a year after the accused completed his sentence (January, 2016). But, that's not sixteen years, you say? Well, it was reduced. Years already spent in remand also deducted. Another theory was that, the good court was trying some damage control after a number of threats by African states to pull out of the Rome Statute.
" It seems like they're all ganging up on us. Let's throw them a bone. Then again, we can't just neglect all these victims. $250 each should cover it!"
One hit that was trying the hardest was that both the sentences being in March can't have been a coincidence. That minds have already been made up on these things, and dates too. Only a naive person might take it as due process.
Next thing I know, the conductor is hitting the side of the matatu so hard and signaling me to alight. I had reached my destination. Indeed, I was quite surprised that people were even talking of these kinds of things. Most of it was banter, but still. One of those conversations that you somewhat wish to continue with the strangers just to hear how it ends. Before Uhuru-Ruto cases were taken up by ICC, barely any ordinary mwananchi had heard of this Court. Now everyone is an expert on all-matters-ICC.
(Shot of excerpt from ICC Twitter page)
I had just eavesdropped on a conversation for about 12 minutes. If those were the thoughts of two, three individuals on a random matatu, I wondered then, how people in DRC Congo felt about the outcome in Katanga. The much I know about law led me to believe that this order and earlier decisions on the case were, well, fair. Justified, maybe. Clearly its not about how I understood it. That little banter gave an insight to the perspective I had completely ignored.
