KENYA: Christian group seeks to clear the name of Jesus Christ at Kenya's High Court in Nairobi

A Christian group in Kenya seeking to clear the name of Jesus Christ say his human rights were violated. Did Pontius Pilate commit a human rights abuse when he ordered the crucifixion of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago? That is the question facing Kenya's High Court. A case filed last week by a group called "Friends of Jesus", calls on it to interpret the Law of Moses to determine whether Jesus received a fair trial for blasphemy. The court papers also ask for a ruling on whether Jesus' sentencing was legal, arguing that the correct penalty for blasphemy at the time was stoning, not crucifixion. In a further twist, the man spearheading the case is Dola Indidis, the spokesman for the Kenyan judiciary. And he said King Herod and Pontius Pilate were among the respondents. "For a long time I have been thinking of a case of Jesus Christ and I'm convinced, I have been convinced for a long time that Jesus was not given a fair trial and that the trial was a nullity as a result of which he suffered crucifixion. I then decided to instruct counsel so that the same can be challenged in court in the view to correct record because as we stand today Jesus Christ remains a convicted criminal, we want the records to be set right," Indidis said. The notice was filed last Friday (August 24) with the court registrar, raising a novel set of legal quandaries - not the least of which involves the statute of limitations and whether the high court has jurisdiction over the Son of God. Michael Chemwok, Dola Indidis's advocate said: "What my client is saying is if as we go to church we say in the name of the father the son and the Holy Spirit, the son in his earthly form is a criminal …right? So can we put the record straight? You and me know, we all know that Jesus was not a criminal. And if he was not a criminal can we correct the records in our legal books whether in the Roman Empire or it's the Italian government or the Jews that is the Israelites. Can they correct their records to say indeed Jesus was not a criminal that is all. And if so was he actually given a fair trial? If somebody raised an issue today and says, ok what was the charge that Jesus was charged with? The only one that is available is blasphemy. What was their mode of punishment that was expected of that blasphemous charge? Stoning to death. was Jesus stoned to death? So how did you convict him and crucify him?" The plaintiff was in the high courts on Thursday (August 30) for a mention with the judge who advised Indidis and Chemwok to get a date from the court's registry to get a hearing after the courts vacation. "We may go to other jurisdictions, international jurisdictions and seek redress but after we have been guided with orders from this court," Indidis added. The Friends of Jesus or FOJ is a world group that includes lawyers and wealthy businessmen who view their worldly fortune as a gift from God. Chemwok told Reuters that the group has members in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda and Rwanda with other members from Western countries like Finland. The case has triggered a buzz in Kenyan legal circles with Kenyan attorneys conceding that - in pure legal terms - the FOJ's complaint is legitimate but disagreeing on whether it is admissible in Kenyan courts. The case has gathered the public attention with some Kenyans dismissing it and other supporting the petition. Student Hanna Wanjiru said: "It's going to open a box that should not have been opened in a few years. It's not supposed to be opened. They are just trying to. I think it's a witch hunt. Yeah, it's not realistic." Christine Onyango said: "I think they should sue the Roman Empire. In as much as they say he committed a crime what they did was wrong. As in two wrongs will not make a right." Others view the group as somewhat of a cult. Businessman David Kipkorir Langat said: "Jesus actually forgave those who crucified him. Who are these people? They are acting on whose capacity? Because even Jesus, does, are they part of the records of Jesus? Are they saved? They should actually come and tell us the truth." The group said it was sending the documents to the Pope for advice. Under Roman law that prevailed alongside the Jewish code at the time, crucifixion was the sentence for robbery, treason, rape and crimes against the emperor. According to religious historians and the Bible, the Great Sanhedrin, the highest council of the ancient Jews, charged Jesus with blasphemy but Judea's Roman governor Pontius Pilate famously "washed his hands'' of the case. He turned Jesus over to the high priests and the crowds, who responded: "Crucify him.'' On Thursday, a judge ordered the case to be heard after the summer recess.

ITN Source | August 31, 2007

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