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Kenya Bishops Press Statement
Please find here the Kenya Bishops Press Statement, dated of 27 April 2001
Thanks to the CISA (Kenya)
Paolo
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KENYA EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE
PRESS STATEMENT
Friday, April 27, 2001
INTRODUCTION
The Catholic Bishops of Kenya have considered with expert advice, the
F.B.I.'s 'Final Report' on the death of Fr. John Anthony Kaiser. We wish
to state, first of all, that this Report cannot in law give final
conclusions. It is reserved to a court, according to the Laws of Kenya, to
make a finding on the cause of death after an inquest. Consequently, we
now ask for an inquest into the death of Fr. Kaiser when all witnesses can
be examined and cross-examined. Turning to the report itself, among many
reasons for concern and many unanswered questions are:-
1. Unprofessional and selective scene of crime evidence
a) Blurred photographs;
b) No explanation of finger prints which were found on the car and not
found on the gun;
c) No mention of the blood found on the pick-up and on the axe found
in it;
d) Were all witnesses interviewed? who were interviewed? and what
certainty can be ascribed to their evidence?;
e) Where is the evidence that Fr. Kaiser was shot by his own gun? No
ballistic report was presented.
2. Postmortem
a) Why did the F.B.I. ignore three out of four Doctors present at the
examination of the corpse?;
b) It would appear in order to support the suicide proposition, that
Fr. Kaiser involved himself in rather difficult contortions while in the
process of killing himself. (see Report of Dr. Di Maio's comments)
c) Dr. Di Maio is quoted extensively and his qualifications are given
in detail, yet he states the following:-
"Based on the materials you supplied me, I would conclude that if this case
occurred in my jurisdiction, I would classify it as a self-inflicted
wound. Furthermore he concludes 'I would be glad to consider any further
evidence submitted to me'." The Bishops ask:
i. What materials were supplied to Dr. Di Maio?
ii. He seems to suggest that there should be more material or evidence
available which was not supplied to him. What materials or evidence are
these? What did he expect to get and did not?
d) Amongst other information one of the doctors present at the
postmortem stated that Fr. Kaiser had bloody finger marks inside his
trouser pocket. How did he get his hand in his pocket after blowing off
his head?.
e) The 'Report' says, the analysis is not a substitute for a thorough,
well-planned investigation and should not be considered all inclusive. The
information provided is based on probabilities (page 53).
3. Mental Health
a) Great emphasis was placed by the F.B.I. on Fr. Kaiser's mental
health history and his state of mental health in the last 96 hours of his
life. This seems to have been done in order to strengthen the suicide
proposition. Yet on page 80 of the Report, it is stated that Fr. Kaiser
had future plans. According to pyschiatrists, suicide is a result of
feeling worthless or hopeless. This was not obviously the case with Fr.
Kaiser.
b) His immediate Superiors, his closest friends and family while
accepting the great stress of being followed, harassed and threatened, did
not consider Fr. Kaiser had suicidal tendencies and he himself expressly
excluded the idea of suicide while expressly foreseeing his own murder;
c) If Fr. Kaiser was so mentally disturbed etc., why? There were
incidents which caused this stress, the breaking of the window of his room,
being followed by cars and the stoning of his car, why? Only a fresh
investigation will answer our questions and quieten our doubts and queries.
CONCLUSION
We ask again that:-
a) an inquest be held;
b) that the Attorney General compile a file on the investigation and
present this to the inquest;
c) that all evidence in possession of the F.B.I. and the C.I.D. be
handed over to the proposed independent court of inquiry. This should
include:-
i. the exhibits omitted for whatever reason from the 'Final Report'
ii. All statements of all witnesses
iii. All photographs
iv. Any tape or video recordings
v. Medical reports and laboratory analyses
We expressly ask that all exhibits and evidence, including the car should
be preserved with care.
"Let justice flow like water,
and integrity like an unfailing stream, (Amos 5:24)
Signed By:
Rt. Rev. John Njue, Chairman (Embu Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Cornelius Korir, Vice Chairman (Eldoret Diocese)
Most Rev. R.S Ndingi Mwana 'a Nzeki (Nairobi Archdiocese)
Most Rev. John Njenga (Mombasa Archdiocese)
Most Rev. Nicodemus Kirima (Nyeri Archdiocese)
Most Rev. Zacchaeus Okoth (Kisumu Archdiocese)
Rt. Rev. Philip Sulumeti (Kakamega Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Urbanus Kioko (Machakos Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Silas Njiru (Meru Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Colin Davies (Ngong Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Ambrose Ravasi (Marsabit Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Peter Kairo (Nakuru Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Paul Darmanin (Garissa Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Linus Okok (Homa Bay Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Joseph Mairura (Kisii Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Boniface Lele (Kitui Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Philip Anyolo (Kericho Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Luigi Locati (Isiolo Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Maurice Crowley (Kitale Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Alfred Rotich (Military Vicariate)
Rt. Rev. Norman King'oo Wambua (Bungoma Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Peter Kihara (Murang'a Diocese)
Rt. Rev. David Kamau Ng'ang'a (Aux. Bp. Nairobi Archdiocese)
Rt. Rev. Anthony Ireri Mukobo (Aux. Bp. Nairobi Archdiocese)
Rt. Rev. Patrick Harrington (Lodwar Diocese)
Rt. Rev. Francis Baldacchino (Malindi Diocese)
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x - Le materiel contenu dans ce document ne reflet pas forcement les points
de vue de l'expediteur. Celui-ci n'accepte aucune responsabilite' sur la
precision des sources originales. - The material contained in this
document may not be taken always to reflect the views of the sender. He
accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy of the original sources.
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x - Un homme meurt chaque fois que l'un d'entre nous se tait devant la
tyrannie (Wole Soyinka, Prix Nobel litterature) - Everytime somebody keep
silent when faced with tyranny, someone else dies (Wole Syinka, Nobel Prize
for Literature)
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