ORGY OF BRUTALITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 290, 4 December 1920, Page 19

ORGY OF BRUTALITY.

ITNHT— lAN TREAT—KNT OF -__C_ in-"-*. W_-L-M_RHTI3D SEN"—SN _E -QX EX-OFFICER. "Horrors of the Spanish. Inquisition ore recalled by an nccount of the terrible b—tnllties practised npon Bust African natives by a British ex-officer who was sentenced at Nairohi High Court to a wellmerited term of Imprisonment. Accused Is Captain Longley Hawkins, late of the Kiug's African Rifles, manager of a plantation at Rulru Station, British .East Africa. His connir-tion was recorded after a trial lasting five days, and he was sentenced to two years' rigorous imprisonment on tho main —.—ire. while on a further count the sentence was a like concurrent term of Imprisonment. On a third charge of maltreating a native woman h« was lined £200 or nine mou-tbs' rigorous imprisonment. One of the natives died in consequence of the torture to which ta-e —« subjected. According to evidence given at tile trial and in The Lower Court, In The early, summer Captain .Hawkins lost n box containing: £47. He called together tho farm labourers, and decided that they should undergo two forms of ordeal practised by the "elders" among trie natives — the one known as "striking the poat" nnd tho other "licking the knife." The latter test consisted of licking .1 red-lhot blade. Two native "boys," Kamangu and Richo. ■had their tongues severely burned by the test, and were arrested as the utility parties. They later accused Mucheru. another native, and were released. One ot the natives accused his mother, and she was Bent for and beaten. The men mentioned were subjected to flogging—Mucheru for spitting contemptuously, Kn_angu for telling lies about his mother, and Rlcho, with the object of extracting a confession. The ghastly proceedings wore spread over about three weeks, and included the screwing of Rloho's fingers In n vise until they split. One day the orgy of brutality lasted tr om 7 a.m. till 5 p.m. Dr. Henderson, or the native civil hospital, gave ev-Idence that he had never in all Ibis experience seen boys in such a terrible state ns Kamangu and _oho when they were brought to him. The evidence showed that .Miielieru, who died, was subjected to unspeakable torture by accused and the .Askarls (native policel. Kftmangii stated that lie and Ri—o , we re arrested after the knife test, hut -were released when -Rlcho declared that Mucheru was the thief. The latter was beaten that night by the Askarls. Tils feet were tied together to a pole Oft high, and lie was hanging head downwards. This flogging was alleged to have taken place at accused's instigation. "Mnehern was then taken to the police station, and brought hack in a day or two to search for tho money. He was not allowed to speak, but was at once beaten by Captain Hawkins. After this two Askarls took him away to search for the money. On their retr-r -n Captain Hawkins gave Mucheru another 20 blows, and went to piny tennis. Kamangu added that after tea he saw Captain Haw. kins walk up to Mucheru. who wa» lying down and unable to rise. Water was thrown over him, nnd he died at 7 o'clock. Captain Hawkins, 1n his evidence, admitted that he put _-□ohera down and gave him 10 or 12 strokes beca-nse the man made an Insolent no—"c with his mouth, and spat| when order**— to show where the money! was hidden. It was -urged in defence That' any cruelty or violence which had been committed was done by the Askarls when! they were away searching for the money. | The knife test >was carried out at the in-j stlgatlon of the elders of the tribe, and the' vise Incident was grossly exaggerated. The vise was only used as a threat. The judge, in summing tip, dealt with the 1 dignity of the white man and the responsibility of British subjects -to the natives". There -had happily never been such a case' before iv the whole history of the East 1 African Protectorate. The Jury returned a unanimous verdict of "Gnilty," and the Judge, In passing sentence, rearlarked- That he would not add To prisoner's humiliation in the eyes ot the whole British race by any comment, bit he concurred in the verdict.