During his reading of
the verdict and sentences, judge Steinmetz made a particularly
humiliating and hurtful remark. He said that he didn't believe AW's
explanation that his child had been kidnapped because he was owing
money to a shopkeeper and that this had been the reason why he had
participated in the attack on the Taipan. The judge said he didn't
believe AW because he had not repeated that story in his last words
on the last day of the trial.
It must have been
difficult for AW to remain calm and quiet when he heard that he was
given a harsher sentence as a result. But other people did believe
him and raised the money required to have the young boy released by
producing a fundraiser book "The confiscated child".
380 copies of the book were sold – enough to have the child
released.
The money was
transferred to Somalia and we have just had confirmation that the boy
has been released and is safe with his family!
All this, while the
court is still working on typing up the written verdict, which again
shows the court's ignorance and inability to understand the world
outside of its own confinement.
