THERE is an old adage that says, “You do the crime; you do the time”. It is a very true statement, especially when it comes to the latter aspect, “you do the time”. It is of tremendous importance that the second half of that statement be rigidly enforced on criminals and would-be criminals, because most, if not all those persons who commit heinous crimes, don’t want to do the time, far less to be punished ever.

Criminals of the worst kind want to be set scot free. Well, let me not be so quick to give them the benefit of the doubt, because we now have a judge who is willing to put a halt to that perception.
I am referring to Justice Navindra Singh, a judge who upholds the law, and has shown courage and determination where fairness and justice are concerned. He is a no-nonsense judge who, in his judgments, always sees to it that the perpetrators of criminal acts get their just deserts.

This writer, who over the years has been a tireless campaigner for justice for those killed at the hands of cold-blooded murderers, is finally seeing the fruits of his labours. I have been at the forefront pleading for such persons to get life imprisonment. Finally, there is light at the end of the tunnel; finally we are making some headway in the just sentencing of murderers.

You cannot tell me someone can wilfully commit such horrific acts and want to live among us; which is precisely the point, because when you look at what is played out, time and time again, there is an unending tolerance when it comes to the treatment of perpetrators, with scant regard being shown for justice for the innocent victims.

Over the years, we have seen horrific crimes being committed and the criminals getting little or no time, all because justices upheld nonsensical arguments like “he came from a broken home” or “he had no father figure in the home” and “he came from a poor home”; as though these things should give him a “legitimate” reason to kill.

Such statements are outrageous, to say the least, but these arguments seem compelling enough to hold the criminal guiltless when viewed by some judges. However, thankfully, we seem to have gone past that stage. We are now looking at heinous crimes under a new microscope with a new judge. So let us cross reference with the USA.

Our situation here is similar to that which confronts the American society, where criminals believe that they can “get away with murder”. We have a situation where persons have no boundaries, no regard for the sanctity of human life. They wilfully maim, disfigure and kill another human being, and yet for all of this they want to live a normal, free life like the rest of us law-abiding citizens.

No! This should not happen. If you wantonly take someone’s life, then you should expect that yours would be taken away from you also; that is: a life for a life. That freedom you now cherish should evaporate right before your very eyes. Heartless, abnormal, cold-blooded beasts should not be afforded the luxury of a normal life. This is my firm resolve.

If my memory is correct, this marks the third time such a ruling is coming from this judge, and strikingly so for similar offences where men brutally kill women.

I say a big “Thank you judge”, because your judgements have been fair and balanced. My only regret is that all persons with capital offences are not tried by you.

NEIL ADAMS