PHOTO: REUTERS
Thanks to Denis Nzioka for the heads-up. At least six people are in police custody after the strangulation murder of Venezuela's acting ambassador to Kenya, reports Reuters. Olga Fonseca was killed after she fired at least five male Kenyan staff members ... who complained to police about sexual assault and harassment by the previous ambassador.
The previous envoy was Gerardo Carillo Silva, who quickly left the country last month as the Nairobi police began an investigation. Silva has diplomatic immunity and cannot be prosecuted under international law
Police said that Fonseca had been found dead on her bed. It was unclear why she had been killed, they said. "We are holding six," said Anthony Kibuchi, the police commander for the Nairobi area. "Please give us time. Let us investigate."
Officials at Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said some Kenyan staff members at the Venezuelan Embassy’s residence had complained to the ministry’s Diplomatic Police Unit after Ms. Fonseca fired them. She started her job on July 15, replacing Ambassador Gerardo Carrillo-Silva. The employees said that Ms. Fonseca had dismissed them after they refused to retract sexual harassment claims against Mr. Carrillo-Silva. The ministry is investigating their claims, officials said Friday.
Reuters, The Independent and other western outlets do not expand upon the "sexual harassment" claims.
More at China's Xinhua and Kenya's Nation:
Two male employees had on April 23, through a complaint booked at Gigiri Diplomatic Police Unit and referenced as number 34, accused the former envoy of sexual impropriety. "She came and forced us to apologise and say the claims that the former consular of Venezuela embassy, who was accused of sexual harassment of the staff, were all lies, and that we write an apology that we fabricated the story," the staff say in the complaint seen by the Nation and dated July 20.
The [five] sexual harassment claims have attracted the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which after learning of the issue earlier this month, wrote to the employees’ lawyer, Ngure Mbugua, saying that they were launching "independent investigations."
The sexual assault and harassment claims are detailed at the Kenyan-Post. They are very alarming.
Kenya's government is considered progressive on gay rights. Same-sex relations are illegal—penalties are between five and 14 years’ imprisonment—but arrests and prosecutions are rare.
Kenya was the first African nation to include men who have sex with men in their national HIV strategy. Two pro-LGBT justices were confirmed to the Supreme Court in June 2011. The recently-appointed Chief Justice Dr. Willy Mutunga has said that "gay rights are human rights" and expressed a desire to overturn anti-gay legislation. As a result, Kenya has rapidly become a refuge for many LGBTs who have been persecuted in East African nations.
Some Background ...
Can Kenya Lead Africa on Gay Rights? [EBONY]
Kenya HRC Calls for Repealing Anti-Gay Laws
Kenyan Men Forced into Gulf Sex Trafficking?
UN Chief Urges African Leaders to Respect Gays
KENYA: Pro-LGBT Justices Confirmed
Controversy in Kenya After Pro LGBT Nominees
Kenyan Prime Minister: "All Gays Should Be Arrested"
KENYA: Questions Surround Mandatory HIV Testing
AIDS 2010: Joel Nana on African Gay/Bi Men, HIV
WATCH: CNN Surveys Gay Rights in SA, Kenya, Cuba
Kenyan Gays Demand Protection After Brutal Assault
Kenya: "Things are Changing in Favor of Gays"
Chavez's diplomatic corps is full of abusive people, gay and straight , this is not a surprise
Chavez is proud of these people
Posted by: mary C | 08 August 2012 at 10:31