Disabled man blames lack of lifts at Nyeri Law Courts for losing case
Charles Mwangi, 62, waits for assistance to go downstairs after attending a court session on the second floor of the Nyeri Law Courts on December 4, 2013. The new courts are unfriendly to physically challenged people since there are no ramps for use by those on wheelchairs and others who find it difficult to use the stairs. Recently, a case involving former president Mwai Kibaki had to be moved to a courtroom on the ground floor as he found it difficult to climb the stairs. PHOTO/JOSEPH KANYI.
What you need to know:
- Mr Charles Mwangi, 62, said that he could not make to attend the hearings of the case on the second floor of the building since he is confined to a wheel chair.
- His main struggle however, was how to access the building using the stairs while on a wheel chair.
- He had to rely on well-wishers to carry him up the stairs.
- Most of the times he was late for his case.
- He still hopes that the he will get justice and his case will be heard afresh to enable him give all the evidence required.
A disabled man is blaming the lack of lifts at the modern Nyeri Law Courts for the dismissal of his case by the Court of Appeal on Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists, Mr Charles Mwangi, 62, said that he could not make to attend the hearings of the case on the second floor of the building since he is confined to a wheel chair and had to be carried up the building by well-wishers.
He said that he became disabled following an accident in 1993 and he was admitted to the National Spinal Injury hospital for a long time, and was thereafter confined to a wheel chair.
He requested to be discharged from the hospital when he realised he could not fully recover.
Mr Mwangi said that his mother had filed a succession case against him in the court following the death of his father in 1999.
DISOWNED BY MOTHER
“After the death of my father, I was utterly shocked to find out that my mother had disowned me and had failed to list me as her own child.
Even the area chief had listed me as my father’s child,” he said.
He said that on learning that his mother had filed a succession case against him, he hired a lawyer whom he entrusted with all the evidence.
It was only after his mother won the case that he realised his lawyer had failed to represent him fully.
Having realised that, he appealed the case in order to be allowed to have a fresh hearing regarding the matter while representing himself without a lawyer despite his disability.
His main struggle however, was how to access the building using the stairs while on a wheel chair.
WELL-WISHERS
He had to rely on well-wishers who used to come to his rescue and carry him up the stairs to the courtroom normally after waiting for a long period in which case he would sometimes miss out on the proceedings of his case.
Mr Mwangi said that people with disabilities are usually disadvantaged because most buildings lack the elevators needed to help them access the required facilities.
“Nyeri Law Courts are quite modern, having been recently constructed and they should have constructed lifts,” he said.
Mwangi has been lucky to get the support of a friend, Mr Elijah Ndung’u who has assisted him for a while.
Mr Ndung’u explained that he pitied Mr Mwangi when he saw him stranded for almost an hour in the courts and on enquiring, was shocked to hear his story.
“I had come to listen to a friend’s case when I saw him and decided to be accompanying him every time he comes to the courts.
I only wish I knew him earlier as I would have assisted him to attend the hearings on time and maybe his case could not have been dismissed,” he said.
Mr Mwangi resigned from teaching to become a farmer before he was involved in the accident.
He still hopes that the he will get justice and his case will be heard afresh to enable him give all the evidence required.
When retired president Mwai Kibaki attended a hearing in the same Court of Appeal in November 2013, the proceedings were moved to a room on the ground floor as he could not make it up the staircase.
