Africa

NAIROBI, KENYA: Though just a small girl, Jess* stood bravely in front of the courtroom.  She was ready to tell the court about the man who had sexually assaulted her. Her courageous testimony helped the Kenyan court convict Jess’ attacker and sentence him to life in prison—the strongest punishment possible for his crime.

Last year, eight-year-old Jess was walking home from school when a motorcycle taxi driver offered her a ride, which she eagerly accepted. Instead, the man took Jess to an isolated area where he sexually assaulted her.

KIGALI, RWANDA When Mimi's* mother watched her 12-year-old daughter walk away from their tiny Rwandan village, she had no idea that it would be five years before she saw her child again. It certainly never crossed her mind that when Mimi returned – brought back to her mother by a team of Rwandan police and IJM social workers – Mimi would have a child of her own, a daughter born as a result of abuse.

Nowhere To Go

Like many families living in rural villages in Rwanda, Mimi's family was very poor.

NAIROBI, KENYA – After a year and a half, Maria has finally been released from prison. Thrown in jail after being accused of a crime she never committed, Maria can at last return home to her three children.

Eighteen months ago, as Maria was shopping for groceries with her friend, they heard a man shouting for help as he was attacked and robbed. When police showed up to the crime scene, the man said he had been robbed by two young men. But the police arrested Maria. She and the middle-aged gentleman she was with were sent to prison for the robbery.

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Last week, one judge took a powerful stand for Tasiyana and her siblings. After a year-long trial, the uncle who stole their family’s home and left them penniless was convicted for his crimes. It is the end to a very long battle for justice – a battle that started 16 years ago.

When her father passed away in 1996, Tasiyana’s uncle threw her siblings from their home, taking the property for himself. Relying on their mother’s meager wages for shelter and food, all four children were forced to drop out of school and work to help the family survive.

NAIROBI, KENYA – Geoffrey’s wife and two young daughters gathered around him, smiling and laughing. But Geoffrey showed little emotion, so stunned by the court’s decision. After a yearlong trial to clear his name for a crime he had not committed, the court delivered the verdict: Geoffrey was innocent.

IJM Kenya lawyer James Kironji met Geoffrey last year, after he had spent two nights in a police station jail cell. Geoffrey explained that he had been accused of forging documents, including a bad check.

KIGALI, RWANDA – In a precedent-setting case, a Kigali man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 5-year-old Rwandan girl.

"[This case] will pave the way in many ways," says one of IJM Rwanda's lawyers, James Nuwagaba.

NAIROBI, KENYA – This week, Dominic was released from prison after languishing there for 8 months. He had been charged with Robbery with Violence and incarcerated, despite the fact that not a single witness ever stepped forward to substantiate the charges against him.

Last year, a robbery occurred at the construction site where Dominic worked. Three weeks later, he was arrested. The fact that he had showed up for work every day since the robbery should have raised a flag that the charges were false, but Dominic was simply sent to prison to wait for a trial.

KIGALI, RWANDA – Last week, a young man was convicted for sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl. He had been raised as an adoptive brother to the little girl, making the abuse all the more painful for the family.

The little girl's mother contacted IJM for help. Acting as the family's representative, IJM Rwanda helped police track down the man, who had moved to another province after the assault was discovered.

NAIROBI, KENYA – Today, after spending exactly one year and one day in prison for a crime he had not committed, Joseph was set free.

Last year, Joseph stepped off a matutu – a mini-bus used for public transportation – and stepped into some kind of public brawl. Suddenly, Joseph was hit by a stone. The next thing he knew, the man who threw the rock was accusing Joseph of stealing his phone. Police nearby overheard, and suddenly the mob turned on Joseph. Joseph still had no idea what was going on.

Both Joseph and the man who had thrown the stone were taken to prison.

MUKONO, UGANDA – Rebecca’s wedding day is one like many woman dream of: beautiful flowers, a packed church and a stunning white dress. This bride is nearly 70, but sits regally in her finery like a woman half her age.

In fact, just two seats down, there is a woman half her age in another white dress. And two more next to her. There are four veils, four bouquets and four grooms smiling by their sides.