A few weeks ago, Axel Radakubana was tried and sentenced to 52 years in prison for the murders of three young girls at a dance class in Southport last summer. At the time of the crime, we were shocked by its cold-blooded nature and the senselessness of targeting those victims.
Little by little more has emerged about the background to the tragic events that led to three young lives being cut tragically short. Anyone with a soul, any parent or grandparent, anyone with a love of the young must stop and think, what if…
Newspapers still print an artist’s impression of a court scene like the one I have used here. An artist’s impression dehumanises the plaintiff and make it easier to give vent to our indignation. It is understandable that fellow feelings toward the anguished families are warm and sympathetic.
What happened later in the case in point is a jump in logic that is too big for me. Various Members of Parliament in the up-and-coming Reform party called for the re-establishment of the death penalty. I follow the life-for-a-life argument but where I wrestle is with all the side shows. It is not simply the case that the victims are good and the criminal is evil; that may be the case but how about everyone else.
In the Southport case there were failures of all sorts. Officialdom in the shape of support services, previous interventions that rang bells, but did not ring them sufficiently loudly as to warn all who needed to be warned that this young man should not be left alone for a moment where there was scope to do harm. I have no idea of all the details but I am certain that they are complex.
The death penalty for the murderer? If so, what about the many people who could have seen something and acted – which Old Testament remedy do we apply to them? It is in cases like these, where so much can be learned and where the worst is brought out in extremists, that once again, I am reminded of why I preach the Grace of God and the forgiveness of sins.
A Prayer
Lord God, when human nature is at its worst, grant us the grace not to be the worst, but the best we can be towards one another. We are all flawed and pray that we may grow to understand how to live, learn and move on but always to do all we can to show love toward the victims of Sin. This we ask for the sake of our sinless Saviour. Amen.