Defending Christ’s rights in Kenyan courts

By Michael Oriedo

Did Pontius Pilate, King Herod, Tiberius, the then Emperor of Rome and Jewish scholars commit an error more than 2,000 years ago when they ordered Jesus Christ to be crucified?

That question faced Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch at the High Court in 2007 when ‘Friends of Jesus Society’, a Christian group, filed a case urging the court to declare the trial, conviction and crucifixion of Jesus Christ unlawful.

Their main contention was that the Bible depicts Jesus as a lawful man yet his trial and subsequent crucifixion paints him as a criminal. They observed that the manner of his arrest, torture and ultimate punishment was a violation of his human rights. In addition, the society said that during those days, the penalty for blasphemy, the crime Jesus was accused of committing, was public stoning yet he was crucified.

"We do not want to worship a convicted criminal, so we ask the court to declare Jesus Christ’s crucifixion null and void and his crucifixion illegal. Jesus was innocent," said the society in its application.The society believed it was their duty to preserve and protect "the image, authority, teachings and dignity of Jesus Christ" and the New Testament. They put Israel and Italy as respondents and promised to serve them with court papers through their respective representatives in Kenya.
The two states, the society argued, had failed to intercede to save Jesus’ life and had thereafter gone ahead to integrate the laws used to crucify him into their current laws.

Swearing in

With this case, the society hoped to put the record straight so that all those who profess by the Bible and use it for other purposes like swearing in courts and Parliament know the truth.

The then Judiciary spokesman Dola Indidis observed that the society had a right to be heard in court since the issues they had raised touched on human rights and that courts have unlimited powers on the subject.

When the case came up for hearing, Justice Aluoch asked to see Pontius Pilate, King Herod and Emperor Tiberius, who were the main respondents.

However, the petitioners informed the court they had not served them with court papers.

Later, the petitioner’s lawyer withdrew the case after finding that they had made a mistake during the registration of the society.

And that’s the law.