Focus on Africa Kenyan blogger dies in police custody
A 31-year-old blogger, Albert Ojwang, has died in police custody in Kenya. A post-mortem revealed that he was hit on the head and his death was likely to have been caused by assault. The results of the post-mortem contradict police previous claims which said Albert had "sustained head injuries after hitting his head against a cell wall". His death has sparked widespread outrage in Kenya. We'll find out more about the case.
Also, what happens to desperate people when humanitarian organisations cannot offer them the aid they need?
And why Botswana has paused production at some of its diamond mines
Presenter: Audrey Brown
Producers: Bella Hassan and Yvette Twagiramariya
Technical Producer: Craig Kingham
Senior Journalist: Karnie Sharp
Editors: Andre Lombard
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
Jury finds New Orleans police officer who shot and killed puppy violated rights but has immunity
A jury in federal court ruled that a New Orleans police officer who shot and killed a puppy had violated its owners' constitutional rights but was shielded from punishment under qualified immunity because of his government role, according to the plaintiffs' attorney William Most. The jury awarded $10,000 in damages for emotional distress to the puppy's owners, to be paid by the city, Most said. An additional $400 was awarded for the rescue dog's market value. The jury found that the city held a degree of liability tied to the officer's actions but was not ultimately responsible for the killing of Apollo the puppy, Most said. The jury ruled the officer violated state laws of negligence and wrongful destruction of property. The jury also found the owners and Burmaster's police partner had some liability in the dog's death, Most added. 'We are so glad to have justice for Apollo,' Most said in a text message. 'We hope that this trial will achieve lasting change in the way the New Orleans Police Department trains its officers to handle animals they meet in the field.' The city and police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Derrick Burmaster, the police officer, declined to comment. The civil lawsuit arose after the 16-week old, 22-pound (10-kilogram) Catahoula Leopard puppy ran up to Burmaster when he and a police partner entered the couple's yard in response to a report of a domestic disturbance in 2021. Burmaster, who has said he feared Apollo would bite him in the genitals, fired three shots at the puppy with one hand while covering his crotch with the other, court records show. Another larger adult dog had barked and moved toward Burmaster's colleague, who stepped out of the yard before it reached him. Police body camera shows Apollo died in the arms of his distraught owners, who later were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to their lawyer. 'How could you shoot a puppy?' screamed Apollo's owner, Julia Barecki-Brown, immediately after the incident, footage shows. 'This is the love of our lives.' In footage, Burmaster repeatedly apologized but also asked why they had let the dogs out. Multiple internal police investigations found Burmaster's actions violated department policies. The department's Use of Force Review Board unanimously ruled the shooting was unjustified. Police investigators stated that Apollo did not pose a threat. Burmaster did not consider alternative options such as kicking the dog or using a Taser, investigators noted. In violation of department protocol, he was not wearing body armor or equipped with a baton. This is the second time he has fatally shot a dog, court records show. Apollo's owners, Barecki-Brown and her husband Derek Brown, sued Burmaster and the City of New Orleans in 2022. In July 2023, after a federal judge ruled that the lawsuit could move to jury trial, department leadership cleared Burmaster of wrongdoing for his use of force during the final step in the internal review process. The city's Independent Police Monitor Stella Cziment criticized the department's reversal and told The Associated Press that she disagreed with the decision to clear Burmaster of misconduct in the aftermath of a civil lawsuit. 'The claim that the NOPD 'reversed' in response to the civil lawsuit is spurious,' the City of New Orleans said in a Wednesday statement. 'Prior to the filing of the lawsuit, the NOPD had not reached a final decision regarding disciplinary action for Officer Burmaster.' The city noted that Sgt. David Duplantier, a police training academy instructor, issued a report on Oct. 12, 2021 — after the first two internal reviews — finding that Burmaster 'acted properly' because he believed he was at risk of imminent harm. Long-standing federal oversight of the city's police department put in place after a decades-long history of misconduct and culture of impunity is in the process of winding down. Department leaders have sought to reassure the public that they have built a system of transparency and accountability. ___


Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Moment 'killer' attacks police officers with samurai sword as they try to arrest him after schoolboy was slashed to death in street
This is the horrifying moment police officers were attacked by a man with a sword, in footage which was shown to the jury at the Daniel Anjorin murder trial. The schoolboy, 14, was 'slain' with a samurai sword on his way to school in Hainault, east London on April 30 last year. Marcus Monzo denies murder and four counts of attempted murder. He appeared at the Old Bailey today. The court heard Monzo had driven into Donato Iwule in his van before attacking him with a sword and beginning a 20-minute rampage. After killing Daniel, he went into the home of Sindy Ariasand Henry De Los Rios Polina and attacked them next to their four-year-old. He also attacked police officers PC Yasim Mechem-Whitfield and Inspector Moloy Campbell. In footage shown to jurors, police arrive at the scene where Monzo is stood holding a sword, standing over a body. When one officer attempts to help the victim, Monzo approaches while holding the sword. Officers are heard shouting at Monzo 'drop it' while he asks them 'do you believe in god.' Monzo then shouts: 'Is there anybody here who believes in god.' Officers attempt to use a spray to stop the defendant, but he begins to flee, going into nearby gardens. Police bodycam footage then shows officers chasing Monzo down an alleyway. As they approach the end, Monzo appears and strikes one of the officers with his sword. An officer is heard shouting: 'Police officer stabbed.' Another video captures the moment just before a second officer is stabbed in the arm while trying to block the sword with a baton. Monzo is then seen on a roof as he attempts again to get into people's gardens. An officer shouts 'Lock your doors, everyone lock your doors'. Jurors were then shown police body worn footage of Monzo being tasered and then handcuffed while lying on the floor in a garden. He was seen earlier in the video holding his sword as paramedics arrived at the scene Giving evidence Inspector Moloy Campbell said he was on his way to the scene when he heard over the radio that a police officer had been stabbed. 'Members of the public were walking briskly in the opposite direction to where we were travelling and many were gesturing in the general direction of the incident.' He said he arrived and went behind some garages to find Monzo. 'Our purpose was to arrest, and protect the other officers. I decided to confront the defendant. 'I decided to first try and use my PAVA spray to keep as big a distance as possible. 'It had no effect, the defendant blocked the spray and then began to come for me. 'I dropped my PAVA spray and drew my baton. I struck him or attempted to strike him. 'Mr Monzo was slashing at me with the large sword. He made contact with my hand and with my bodyworn video camera. 'I was disappointed because it meant I couldn't carry on with what I was trying to do. 'It was frightening. I remember my priority being to try and carry on the police response. 'I looked down down and my black baton was now red. 'I was being backed into a coroner and I withdrew away from the corner.' He was treated at the scene and taken to hospital. Forensic pathologist Dr Ashley Fegan-Earl, who conducted a post-mortem, told the court that Daniel's injuries were 'unsurvivable'. 'They were unsurvivable however quickly medical attention could be brought,' he said. Monzo, who was born in Brazil, had told his customers he was an Elon Musk fan and believed the earth was flat and the Pope was an evil lizard, the court has heard. He skinned and deboned his own cat Wizard before carrying out the Hainault attacks. Jurors were played a 999 call Monzo made after he attacked Daniel. Some shouting could be heard but Monzo did not answer the operator's questions. Monzo could be heard asking police officers if they believe in God while they told him to drop his sword. He remained on the call while he attacked PC Mechem-Whitfield and went into the bedroom of Mr De Los Rios Polina and Ms Arias. Monzo entered the bedroom and said: 'Do you believe in God? Just tell me now, do you believe in God?' while the couple screamed. The operator continued to ask Monzo if he could hear her but he did not respond. He eventually came to the phone and said 'Hi, I need people who believe in God, the same as me. Faith. I promise my life to God and I'm ready.' The operator told Monzo 'please don't hurt anybody' and asked where he was.


BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Legal win for son tricked into moving to Africa by parents
A teenager who was tricked into going to boarding school in Africa has won a significant legal victory against his own 14-year-old boy, who cannot be identified, was taken from London to Ghana in March 2024 after being told a relative was ill. In fact, his parents wanted to get him out of London as they feared he was being drawn into criminal and homesick in Ghana, the boy found lawyers and brought a case against his parents to the High Court in London, which ruled against him in February. On Thursday, he won his appeal, so the case will be reheard. The most senior judge in the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, said there had been confusion in the previous decision."We have become more and more concerned as to the exercise the judge undertook," he added."For those reasons - we are agreed remittal should be allowed."He urged the family to find a solution through constructive dialogue. At the hearing, the boy's barrister, Deirdre Fottrell KC, said he is "desperate" to return to the UK."He is culturally displaced and alienated," she said."He considers himself abandoned by his family. He feels he is a British boy, a London boy."The boy remains in Ghana and has been attending a day school there. His solicitor, James Netto, described the appeal ruling as a "hugely significant" decision that would "resonate across international family law." He said: "We are very pleased indeed that the Court of Appeal has allowed our client's appeal, and has recognised the critical importance of listening to and assessing the voices of young people at the heart of legal proceedings that profoundly affect their lives."The parents' barrister, Rebecca Foulkes, said that staying in Ghana was the "least harmful" option for the boy."The parents found themselves in a wholly invidious decision when they made the decision they made," she said. "Ghana provided a safe haven, separate from those who exposed him to risk."The least harmful option is for him to remain in Ghana."The case centres on the question of parental responsibility, and whether the parents acted unlawfully by sending their son to boarding school without his boy previously told the court that he felt like he was "living in hell". He said he was "mocked" at the school in Ghana and "could also barely understand what was going on".During the previous judgement, High Court judge Mr Justice Hayden said the parents' wish for their son to move to Ghana was "driven by their deep, obvious and unconditional love".He found that the boy, who had lived in the UK since birth, was at risk of suffering greater harm by returning to said that the boy's parents believe "and in my judgement with reason" that their son has "at very least peripheral involvement with gang culture and has exhibited an unhealthy interest in knives".Sir Andrew said the case will now be reheard by a different judge, with the next hearing planned to take place in the next few weeks.A full decision will be given in writing at a later date.