FORMER Subukia MP Koigi Wamwere has been awarded Sh12 million for the suffering he underwent in detention in 1975 and 1982.
Koigi had filed an appeal for the damages to be reviewed upwards from the Sh2.5 million award he was given by High Court judge Mumbi Ngugi in 2012.
In their ruling, Appeal Court judges Phillip Waki, Paul Kiage and J Mohammed said considering the violation of the rights suffered by Koigi, Sh2.5 million was inadequate.
They agreed with High Court that the treatment suffered by Koigi being common with the other inmates, whether in detention or imprison,
did not amount to torture as legally defined.
The former legislator was detained thrice – between August 9, 1975 and December 12, 1978, between August 5, 1982 and December 12, 1984 and the last at Nyayo House torture chambers for eight days from October 8, 1990.
Wamwere told the court he was beaten, denied food and water, kept naked among other acts at Nyayo House.
He said
Justice Ngugi failed to award him damages even after finding out that he was held in deplorable conditions in prison.
The Appeal Court judges said no amount of money can "erase the scarring of the soul and deprivation of the dignity" Wamwere endured.
They ruled he is entitled to Sh12 million with interest at court rates from the date of judgment of the appeal.
