We are moving into a critical period ahead of the August 9 general election. The upcoming vote has set the stage for heated campaigns.
There is a high likelihood that in the ensuing national campaigns, politicians may want to go overboard in some of their sentiments as they seek to woo supporters.
It is, therefore, imperative that the National Cohesion and Integration Commission gather sufficient evidence and get witnesses to the hate speech cases stemming from the campaigns it may seek to pursue.
Previously, hate speech cases have been dismissed at the courts of law for lack of evidence, a situation that stands the risk of emboldening the suspects.
In this vein, let the NCIC look back at the decisions by the courts in the previous cases, which have crumbled, to see the loopholes in the case files.
The review of the past rulings would be necessary so that the commission presents to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions watertight cases that can pass the threshold for prosecution.
The charges it brings should stand the test of time. This will go a long way in averting any instances of conflict with the concerned agencies for want of capacity.
Quote of the Day: “If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.”
Marcus Aurelius
The Roman emperor was born on April 26, 121 AD
