IVORY COAST Thief was caught in the act and brutally punished by an angry mob. Among other things, he was beaten on the soles of his feet, which causes excruciating pain due to the many nerve endings there.
As in many other parts of Africa, street justice is a fairly common problem in Ivory Coast. Especially in rural areas, people often take the law into their own hands, believing it is the only way to enforce justice, as their trust in the police – frequently seen as corrupt – is virtually nonexistent.
However, such violence can never be justified. The above simply presents one perspective, which is not correct. Even a thief has human rights, including the right to a fair trial and a punishment according to the law. Those who participate in enforcing their own version of justice often expose themselves to harsher penalties under the law than the offender himself.
