The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 554 (September 22 - October 5 2021)

TheTrumpet 

Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995 

V O L 27 N O 554 S E P T E M B E R 22 - OCTOBER 5 2021 

Mass rapes at Kasapa Central Prison 

New findings from DR Congo’s 

Prison 

mass 

rape 

Democratic Republic of 

Congo (DRC) 

authorities have made 

no apparent progress 

investigating the September 

2020 prison riot at Kasapa 

Central Prison in Lubumbashi, 

Human Rights Watch has said. 

For three days, inmates 

repeatedly raped several dozen 

female detainees, including a 

teenage girl. 

The authorities should 

provide survivors with 

adequate medical care and 

mental health support. They 

should credibly and impartially 

investigate the incident, 

including officials who ignored 

repeated warnings of the 

impending riot, and fairly 

prosecute those responsible for 

abuses. 

“Congolese authorities 

should meaningfully 

investigate and act on the three 

days of rampage and mass rape 

at Kasapa prison to punish 

those responsible and prevent 

further breakdowns of the 

prison system,” said , Senior 

Continued on Page 2> 

PEER & CO 

IMMIGRATION SPECIALISTS 

15 Years experience with UK 

Immigration, Appeals, 

Deportations, and Removal cases. 

* Judicial Review. * Prison and 

Detention Centre Legal Visits. 

* British Citizenship Applications. 

* Visas and more... 

Free Initial Consultation and Competitive Legal Fees 

Birmingham: 0121 554 0565 

London: 020 7183 3706 

Watford: 01923 901150 

Emergency: 07833 675415 

Email: shiraz@peerandco.com 

Head Office: 420 Witton Road, 

Aston, Birmingham B6 6PP 

Police renew 

appeal 20 

years after 

torso found 

in Thames 

Twenty years after the torso of a 

young boy was found in the 

River Thames, detectives are 

calling on the public to come forward 

with any information that may help them 

solve his murder. 

Investigating officers believe that 

over the past two decades relationships 

and allegiances may have changed and 

are specifically reaching out to people 

whose connection or association with 

someone has now ended. Officers urge 

those who may have felt uncomfortable 

speaking to the police in the past to “be 

bold” and come forward. 

On Friday, 21 September 2001 at 

16:00hrs, a young boy’s torso was found 

in the River Thames near Tower Bridge 

by a member of the public. Police were 

called and a marine support unit 

recovered his body. He was named 

‘Adam’ by police officers - his identity 

is still unknown. 

Forensics revealed that the little boy 

would have been five or six years old 

and was from Nigeria – it is believed he 

was trafficked into the UK, possibly via 

Germany. His head and limbs had been 

severed from his body which was 

clothed in a pair of orange shorts. The 

cause of death was declared as a violent 

trauma to the neck area. It is believed his 

death may have been a ritualistic killing. 

Over the past two decades officers 

have regularly reviewed the case. This 

has included conducting local and 

international enquiries and police 

continue to explore forensic 

opportunities in light of technologies 

that are now available. The inquiry has 

also included comprehensive checks on 

all UK missing people and extensive 

inquiries in London, other parts of the 

UK and abroad, including South Africa, 

Holland, Germany and Nigeria. 

Despite these efforts and numerous 

high-profile appeals over the years, 

including an appeal by Nelson Mandela 

to all the African communities across the 

world to help police, the case remains 

unsolved. Detectives are continuing in 

Continued on Page 13>

Page2 TheTrumpet SEPTEMBER 22 - OCTOBER 5 2021 

News 


Prison mass rape 

Continued from Page 1< 

Congo Researcher at Human Rights 

Watch. “Almost a year on, rape 

survivors are still awaiting adequate 

medical care and help as they face 

trauma and stigma.” 

The riot started on September 25, 

when a group of 15 inmates deemed 

dangerous and held separately from the 

others, overpowered their only guard 

and stormed through the prison. They 

incited other prisoners to violence, set 

several buildings on fire, and rapidly 

took over the prison while staff, guards, 

and security forces fled the prison. 

A fire in the women’s section forced 

the female detainees into the main 

prison yard for three days without 

protection, shelter, food, water, or safe 

access to toilet facilities. Male inmates 

burned all the women’s belongings and 

imposed a climate of fear. “For fear of 

being raped, we wouldn’t even go wash 

ourselves,” said a female survivor, 38. 

On September 28, a group of 

prisoners handed over more than 40 

inmates – including those who 

allegedly led the unrest – to security 

forces, who then re-entered the prison. 

Although the provincial police chief 

urged the authorities Kasapa prison, 

which by then was in ruins, only about 

200 prisoners out of a total of about 

2,000 were subsequently transferred to 

other prisons. 

From December 2020 to April 2021, 

Human Rights Watch interviewed 42 

people, including 14 female survivors 

of the unrest, as well as male inmates, 

medical and aid workers, local activists, 

prison and judicial staff, and United 

Nations staff in Lubumbashi and 

Kinshasa, the capital. Human Rights 

Watch conducted field research at 

Kasapa prison in March. 

Human Rights Watch reviewed an 

internal UN report that found that 

security forces shot and killed at least 

20 inmates, including at least 7 who 

may have been extrajudicially executed 

while they were trying to escape 

through a dugout tunnel. One prison 

guard also died from injuries sustained 

during the riot. 

Four August 2020 letters signed by 

prison officials and addressed to 

provincial authorities warned about 

insecurity in the prison and requested 

the transfer of a group of “very 

dangerous inmates.” Prison officials 

said that the letters went unanswered. 

Warnings of an imminent plot involving 

the same group were also ignored five 

days before the riot and again just hours 

before it started, prison officials said. 

Of the 56 female detainees in the 

prison, 37 women and a teenage girl 

testified to Lubumbashi’s public 

prosecutor that male inmates had raped 

them. Human Rights Watch interviewed 

13 of the detainees who said they had 

been sexually assaulted or raped. Prison 

staff, UN officials, and local human 

rights activists told Human Rights 

Watch that the majority of female 

inmates, and possibly all, were raped 

but some of them did not report the 

rapes to the prosecutor for fear of the 

stigma associated with sexual assault. 

There were also credible reports of rape 

of six men and boys. 

Some survivors said they were gang 

raped or were raped several times by 

different men during the three days of 

unrest. They said that the women who 

resisted were often beaten or hit with 

sharp tools and weapons. “Three young 

men came toward me with machetes 

and knives … and took me behind the 

block, threatening to cut my head off if 

I resisted,” said a 37-year-old detainee. 

“All three of them came on top of me, 

and when I tried to resist, one hit me 

with a machete, injuring me above my 

eye.” 

Several sources described an attack 

in which numerous inmates raped a 

woman visiting a prisoner the day the 

riot started, and penetrated her with 

sharp objects. Interviewees said that 

two other female visitors and a female 

police officer were raped. During the 

unrest there were also violent clashes 

between rival groups of inmates over 

the prison’s informal control system. 

Medical statistics from the unrest 

viewed by Human Rights Watch stated 

that at least seven detainees, including a 

16-year-old girl, became pregnant, most 

likely as a result of being raped during 

the unrest. A number had newly 

contracted HIV/AIDS and other 

sexually transmitted infections. 

After the riot, the authorities failed 

to provide survivors with timely and 

adequate post-rape care, such as 

medical care for physical injuries, 

emergency contraception against 

pregnancy, HIV post-exposure 

prophylaxis and medication to prevent 

other sexually transmitted infections, as 

well as counselling support, Human 

Rights Watch said. Despite alerts from 

local activists, provincial authorities did 

not send a medical team to Kasapa 

prison to attend to sexual violence 

survivors until December 1, two days 

after Radio France Internationale (RFI) 

on the rapes. 

A Non-Governmental group 

provided some post-rape care on 

September 30, but beyond the 72-hour 

required window, and due to the lack of 

stock, only half of the women detainees 

benefited from it. Others were only 

given antibiotics. For at least two weeks 

after the riot, all the female detainees 

slept in the open, in one of the prison 

churches whose roof had collapsed 

during the fire. 

Between December 2 and 16, the 

humanitarian organization - Médecins 

Sans Frontières (Doctors Without 

Borders, MSF) set up a temporary 

clinic inside the prison to treat rape 

survivors. The Haut-Katanga Provincial 

LAND FOR SALE 

at Isoko 

Estates 

Nigeria 

Governor, Jacques Kyabula, confirmed 

in a letter to Human Rights Watch that 

an investigation into the rapes was 

ongoing. He did not respond to 

inquiries about the unheeded warnings 

or the factors that led to the three-day 

riot at the prison. 

“The failure to meaningfully 

investigate the Kasapa prison riot is 

emblematic of the government’s 

longstanding neglect of Congolese 

prisons and the people held in them,” 

Fessy said. “Congo’s government needs 

to adopt measures to uphold the dignity 

and security of the inmates and ensure 

that everyone, particularly women and 

girls, is protected from sexual 

violence.” 

Kasapa Central Prison 

Kasapa Central Prison, built in 

1958, has a capacity of 800 inmates. At 

the time of the riot, the prison’s 

population was nearly 2,000, including 

56 women and 53 children, according 

to prison authorities. As many as 81 

percent of all inmates were still in 

Continued on Page 8< 

1) ONE (1) Acre of Land (6 Plots) at OKUSHU in OKO-AFO close to AGBARA 

and ATAN to ADO-ODO, off BADAGRY Express way. This is an upcoming 

residential developing area. 

The electricity supply from the national grid, is through Agbara. Very dry soil, 

Not flood plain (NO FLOOD PROBLEMS) PRICE: N1.5 MILLION. 

2) 2 Plots of Land for Sale at ERUKU - OKO-AFO; AGBARA AREA, also, ATAN, 

and ADO-ODO, through Badagry Express way, and it also benefits from good 

transport systems and national grid is through Agbara and ATAN area. 

PRICE: N900,000. Nine Hundred Thousand Naira. 

All the above properties are recommended for early grab as we are inaundated 

with enquiries, therefore, first come, first served. 

PLEASE CALL :- +44 (0)7802 575486 - JOE 

PEER & CO 

IMMIGRATION SPECIALISTS 

15 Years experience with UK 

Immigration, Appeals, 

Deportations, and Removal cases. 

* Judicial Review. * Prison and 

Detention Centre Legal Visits. 

* British Citizenship Applications. 

* Visas and more... 

Free Initial Consultation and Competitive Legal Fees 

Birmingham: 0121 554 0565 

London: 020 7183 3706 

Watford: 01923 901150 

Emergency: 07833 675415 

Email: shiraz@peerandco.com 

Head Office: 420 Witton Road, 

Aston, Birmingham B6 6PP

SEPTEMBER 22 - OCTOBER 5 2021 TheTrumpet 

Page3

Page4 


SEPTEMBER 22 - OCTOBER 5 2021 

TheTrumpet Group 

News 

Police offer £20,000 to find 

the killers of Jeffrey Wegbe 

Field: 07956 385 604 

E-mail: 

info@the-trumpet.com 

TheTrumpetTeam 

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: 

’Femi Okutubo 

CONTRIBUTORS: 

Moji Idowu, Ayo Odumade, 

Steve Mulindwa 

SPECIAL PROJECTS: 

Odafe Atogun 

John-Brown Adegunsoye (Abuja) 

DESIGN: 

Xandydesigns@gmail.com 

ATLANTA BUREAU CHIEF: 

Uko-Bendi Udo 

3695 F Cascade Road #2140 Atlanta, 

GA 30331 USA 

Tel: +1 404 889 3613 

E-mail: uudo1@hotmail.com 

BOARD OF CONSULTANTS 

CHAIRMAN: 

Pastor Kolade Adebayo-Oke 

MEMBERS: 

Tunde Ajasa-Alashe 

Allison Shoyombo, Peter Osuhon 

TheTrumpet (ISSN: 1477-3392) 

is published in London fortnightly 

THINKING 

OF 

WRITING 

A BUSINESS 

PLAN? 

We can help you develop a 

professional business plan 

from only £250. 

For more information, contact us 

at 07402792146 or email us at: 

tolu.oyewole@consultant.com 

London’s Metropolitan Police are 

offering a £20,000 reward to find 

the killers of Jeffrey Wegbe who 

was fatally shot in Brent last year. 

A team of detectives believe the answer 

to Jeffrey’s murder could lie within the 

community and are urging people who can 

help them to make contact. 

The £20,000 reward is available for 

anyone who can provide police with 

information leading to the conviction of 

Jeffrey’s killers. 

Appealing in a social media video, 

Detective Inspector James Howarth, 

Specialist Crime, said “At 00:20hrs on 

Wednesday, 12 August 2020, Jeffrey was 

pursued by the occupants of a Silver 

Jaguar XF Estate who fatally shot him at 

his home address in Brent. He was just 26 

years old. I know the vehicle circled the 

area before they found and attacked 

Jeffrey, in the most cowardly way.” 

He added: “Though time has passed, 

our determination to catch the people who 

brutally attacked Jeffrey remains 

undiminished.” 

Police were called on Wednesday, 12 

August 2020, police were called to reports 

of a shooting in Hansel Road, NW6, at 

00:20hrs. 

Officers attended along with London 

Ambulance Service and found Jeffrey with 

a gunshot wound to his chest. 

Despite the best efforts of paramedics, 

he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

A post-mortem examination later gave 

cause of death as a gunshot wound. 

Jeffrey’s family said in a heartfelt 

statement: “Our beloved Jeffrey was killed 

on that Wednesday morning in what can 

only be described as a senseless violent 

attack. Understandably, we are distraught 

by the news and ask that you keep us all in 

your thoughts and prayers. We would also 

like to say a huge thank you to our family, 

the police and wider community for all 

their support.” 

DI Howarth added: “Please do not 

hesitate to get in touch with us, as you may 

hold a significant piece of information that 

could help our investigation and get justice 

for Jeffrey and his family. Silence only 

protects violent criminals, who rely on it 

to continue causing bloodshed and misery 

in our communities. 

“I believe someone in the local 

community has information about 

Jeffrey’s murder that could be crucial. All 

I need is for you to share it. Please do the 

right thing and work with us to take the 

people involved in serious violent crime 

off the streets and put them in jail.” 

Anyone with information should call 

the Incident Room on 0208 358 0300, 

quoting Operational Shadwell. 

Alternatively tweet @MetCC or call 

101 ref CAD 140/12Aug2020. 

Information can be given anonymously 

to the independent charity Crimestoppers 

on 0800 555 111 or by visiting 

crimestoppers-uk.org- though anyone 

choosing this method should be mindful 

that they would not be eligible for the 

£20,000 reward on offer from police. 

Bubble In Christ Music Band 

For your Music band with 

classic rendition for all 

occasions, with traditional, 

contemporary African 

international and Gospel filled 

with professional decent 

Presentation. 

More Musicians, Singers, 

Instrumentalists, handy men, 

Music directors band coordinators, 

Audio and/or video 

technicians, Drivers, 

Marketing Personnel are 

welcome. 

Contact: Olugbenga on 

07438 264613 

CHERUBIM & SERAPHIM MOVEMENT CHURCH 

Amazing Grace District -London Branch 2 

God’s Promises 

never fail: 

* Before they call I 

will answer; while 

they are still 

speaking I will hear 

(Isaiah 65: 24) 

Jeffrey Wegbe coffin 

Jeffrey Wegbe 

WEEKLY DELIVERANCE SERVICE 

Deliverance: Every Wednesday 

Time: 6.30pm – 7pm (Individual Prayer & Counselling) 

Midweek Church Service: 7pm – 9pm 

Venue: Orange Room, Albany Theatre, Douglas Way, 

London SE8 4AG 

Other Service: Sunday Thanks giving 11am – 1.30pm 

Stolen vehicle used by the suspects 

* He will call upon me and I 

will answer him: I will be 

with him in trouble, I will 

deliver him and honour him 

(Psalm 91: 15) 

For further information, contact - Church Secretary: S/M/I/I (Dr) I Oni-Owoyemi 07788 745231 Or 

Church Elders: S/A T Owoyemi 07956 996689 or / M/S/A W Ojomo 07939 836499 or / Apostle T Gbolasere 07484 243990 

Email: amazinggracebranch2@gmail.com


Page5

Page6 TheTrumpet SEPTEMBER 22 - OCTOBER 5 2021


Page7


News 




pretrial detention and among the 

women, only five had been convicted. 

Contrary to both and international 

human rights law, Kasapa prison houses 

inmates from both civilian and military 

jurisdictions, and it mixes detainees 

awaiting trial with convicted prisoners. 

Poor hygiene and sanitation, 

inadequate food supplies and health 

care, , weak security, violence, and a 

lack of gender-sensitive rehabilitation 

services, including sexual and 

reproductive health for women, mirror 

across the country. 

Under international law, government 

authorities have a duty of care for 

people in prisons, including an 

obligation to protect their rights to life, 

health, safety, and security. The African 

Commission on Human and Peoples’ 

Rights in its 1995 , calls on African 

countries to conform to the 

“international norms and standards for 

the protection of the human rights of 

prisoners.” The (the Mandela Rules) 

state that prisoners are to be treated 

with dignity and have prompt access to 

medical attention, and that women be 

held in entirely separate premises. 

Under the for the treatment of women 

prisoners, governments also have an 

obligation to ensure services that 

respond to the particular needs of 

women and children, including genderspecific 

healthcare services at least 

equivalent to those available in the 

community. The African Commission 

on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the 

International Covenant on Civil and 

Political Rights governments to 

investigate and appropriately punish 

those responsible for abuses against 

people in custody, including sexual and 

gender-based violence, and provide 

reparations for victims. 

Unheeded Warnings 

Human Rights Watch found that 

provincial military and civilian 

authorities had been repeatedly warned 

about insecurity and the threat posed by 

certain inmates at Kasapa Central 

Prison. Sources both inside and outside 

the prison said that tensions had been 

simmering for months with rival gangs 

of prisoners engaged in a power 

struggle. Security and order in the 

prison rely on a “kapita” system, in 

which prison authorities informally 

cede to prisoners some administrative 

and disciplinary powers. The head 

kapita is generally supported by two 

deputies. Rivalries for control escalated 

throughout 2020. 

In letters on August 4, 19, and 25, 

the Penitentiary Inspector commanding 

Kasapa’s military section alerted senior 

military magistrates and Penitentiary 

officials in both Lubumbashi and 

Kinshasa about ongoing “security 

instability” within the prison. He 

requested the transfer of “11 very 

dangerous inmates” to a high-security 

detention center to address the problem. 

The prisoners, who had been convicted 

for criminal conspiracy, illegal 

possession of weapons of war, and 

insurrection, were “trying to escape at 

all costs,” the August 25 letter read. 

On August 29 the Prison Director, 

Pelar Ilunga, wrote to the Provincial 

Interior Minister, the Provincial 

Governor, and military and judicial 

authorities, insisting on the need to 

transfer dangerous detainees for 

security reasons. 

None of the four letters were 

answered. Officials at Kasapa prison 

are not authorized to initiate prison 

transfers. 

Ilunga confirmed that on September 

21, other prisoners informed him that a 

group of convicts were planning to 

escape. He said that he alerted the 

Provincial Interior Minister via text 

messages. On September 25, the same 

group was caught plotting a prison 

break that included burning mattresses 

and stealing weapons from police 

guards, a prison clerk said. Ilunga 

placed the 15 prisoners in a separate 

confinement cell, adding that he passed 

this information to provincial 

authorities. The group included the 11 

mentioned in the August 25 letter, 

according to the Inspector commanding 

Kasapa’s military section. 

The Riot 

On September 25 at about 4pm, the 

15 prisoners who had been placed in a 

disciplinary cell just hours earlier, 

overpowered their sole guard and 

escaped. As they stormed through the 

prison, more inmates joined them as 

they stole field tools such as machetes, 

spades, and hoes from a storage facility 

to use as weapons. Rioters then set the 

administration building on fire, looted 

the clinic and a food depot, and burned 

both structures as well. 

Amid the chaos, guards, who are 

unarmed, fled the premises while some 

prison staff were trapped in offices. 

The military section Commander 

entered the prison around 5pm with 

armed police. They rescued trapped 

prison staff, including the 

Commander’s deputy who had been 

severely beaten and later died from his 

injuries, and female guards who were 

hiding in the women’s quarters. 

Prisoners confirmed that security 

forces used teargas to force inmates 

back into their cellblock but were 

unable to keep them inside. Inmates 

retaliated, burning more sections of the 

prison. 

Ilunga arrived on site around 6pm, 

shortly after the police and military 

reinforcements. The kapita and his 

deputies were taken to safety outside 

the prison and, being prisoners 

themselves, were held in a cell at the 

Prosecutor’s office in Lubumbashi until 

order was restored at the prison. At least 

two women detainees told Human 

Rights Watch that they had begged the 

Prison Director to take them to safety 

outside the prison, but that he and the 

security force personnel refused. “We 

were crying but [the Prison Director] 

said he couldn’t take us out of the 

prison because some women were 

convicted for murder,” one woman 

said. Ilunga told Human Rights Watch 

that he did not have the logistical means 

to evacuate the women’s section. 

As the unrest grew in intensity, 

security forces and prison officials 

turned off power and shut the prison 

gates behind them, effectively leaving 

inmates in control of the prison. 

Three days later, on September 28, 

a group of prisoners eventually put 

down the unrest and took control. They 

detained at least 40 inmates, including 

those who allegedly led the riot, tied 

them up, and handed them over to 

security forces. 

On October 7, the Haut-Katanga 

province police chief, Gen. Louis 

Segond Karawa, that Kasapa prison 

should be entirely emptied because it 

did not meet any security standards 

following the violent events. Karawa 

said: “We have nearly 60 women 

inmates [at Kasapa] and juveniles who 

are vulnerable; one sees what happens 

if we leave them among all these men 

and criminals. I demand that we 

transfer everyone [somewhere else] 

while we see how to rebuild this prison 

because in its current state, we can’t 

even refurbish it.” 

In the two weeks that followed the 

uprising, about 200 inmates were 

transferred to Likasi’s Buluo prison. On 

October 15, five convicted women were 

transferred to Boma prison, also in 

Likasi. Fifty soldiers have since been 

assigned to securing Kasapa prisons 

outside perimeter. 

Sexual Violence 

Over the course of three days, 

female detainees were repeatedly raped, 

sometimes by several male inmates 

taking turns, and at least one woman 

was penetrated with objects. Once the 

female prison section had been set on 

fire, the female detainees called for help 

to escape. Shortly after, the rapes began 

and continued while the female 

detainees slept in the prison yard. 

Ruth, 28, who like all survivors 

quoted is identified by a pseudonym to 

protect her safety, said that several men 

raped her on the first and second nights 

of the riot: “It was around 11pm each 

time. There were so many of them that 

I can’t tell you the exact number. They 

rushed over me, each of them wanted to 

take their turn.” 

Inmates carrying sticks and knives 

would choose women detainees in the 

yard and rape them either on the spot or 

in a more isolated corner. Amina, 38, 

said: “I went to urinate in the gutter 

when men came up to me and grabbed 

me by force. There were many of them, 

with machetes, iron bars, and knives … 

They had me walk to the back garden 

and raped me there.” 

Francine, 34, was carrying her 

newborn baby on her back and taking 

care of her three-year-old daughter 

when prisoners assaulted her and two 

other women. “It was on the first night; 

three men came for my daughter, but I 

protected her,” she said. “They took me 

instead, with two other women; my 

baby fell off my back and they raped 

the three of us. They told us not to look 

at them or they would hit us.” 

Some women said that more than 10 

inmates raped them on the first night. 

that they were raped by five, ten, or up 

to twenty inmates. If a woman resisted, 

the men would call others to come and 

rape them to punish them, according to 

a UN report. 

In some cases, male inmates forced 

women to strip naked and protest in 

front of the prison gates to demand the 

release of prisoners. 

Human Rights Watch received 

credible reports of up to six cases of 

prisoners raping male inmates but could 

not speak directly with any male 

survivors. At least six teenage boys, 

ages 14 to 17, may have also been raped 

by male inmates, according to the UN, 

but Human Rights Watch could not 

corroborate the allegations. 

Physical and Psychological 

Trauma 

Women detainees said that staying 

on prison grounds where they had 

endured sexual violence forced them to 

constantly relive their horrific ordeal. 

Several survivors reported symptoms 

consistent with post-traumatic stress, 

including nightmares, insomnia, and 

Continued on Page 11


Page9


· #YouCanAdopt is a nationwide adopter 

recruitment campaign, which, aims to 

raise awareness of adoption and tackle 

myths around who is eligible to adopt 

· Black, Asian and Mixed Ethnicity 

children wait longer to be placed for 

adoption than their White counterparts, 

with fewer than 5% of adopters in 

England coming from a Black, Asian or 

Minority Ethnic background 

· New film features Black adoptive 

parents sharing their experiences 

alongside a social worker explaining 

the adoption process 

https://youtu.be/A5wdrDZPjRU 

Adoption 

#YouCanAdopt: Adoptive parents 

share experiences in lead up to Black 

History Month 

With Black, Asian and Mixed 

Ethnicity children waiting 

longer to be placed for adoption 

than their White counterparts, and fewer 

than 5% of adopters in England coming 

from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic 

background, the #YouCanAdopt campaign 

has relaunched to acknowledge and 

celebrate adopters from the Black 

community while encouraging more 

people to consider adoption. 

Despite the large majority of Black 

people having positive and altruistic views 

towards adoption, there are still a number 

of barriers and misconceptions that can 

prevent people from taking the next step. 

This includes concerns around inadequate 

finances or housing, being considered too 

old, and worries about marital status (being 

single or unmarried). 

However, motivations regarding 

adoption are overwhelmingly positive 

among the Black community, and an 

increasing number of people successfully 

tackle these myths and provide children 

with a loving, safe, and stable home. 

In the lead up to Black History Month, 

a new film released by the #YouCanAdopt 

campaign celebrates adopters from the 

Black community talking about their 

journey and their thoughts on why more 

Black people should adopt Black or 

Mixed-heritage children. 

The film highlights the importance of 

Black children having Black role models 

they can look up to, who’ll guide them 

through life. Jacqui, who adopted her 

daughter as a single parent, says “Mervielle 

came to me really needing a family to love 

her, and that’s what we did. When you’ve 

got a young Black person growing up, they 

need to understand how to be able to 

navigate through society, and who better to 

help and support these young people than 

us, who’ve already been through it?” 

Azumah, who adopted her son Kwame 

in her 50s following unsuccessful IVF 

treatment and a hysterectomy, says “The 

best thing about adopting for us is that we 

now have this giggling, singing child 

running around the house. He is a happy 

and affectionate young boy who brings us 

great joy. I feel very proud being his mum 

and am thankful for this wonderful 

experience.” 

Pearl, who was already a mother to 

twin boys when she decided to adopt her 

daughter, says, “There are hundreds of 

thousands of Black and mixed-heritage 

children in the social care system in need of 

a family. I urge people in my community 

to step forward and make a difference. The 

rewards are plenty. Adopting my daughter 

was one of the best things I have ever 

done.” She explains. “I always tell my 

daughter, I didn’t push you out of my 

stomach - I pushed you out of my heart.” 

Amara, Pearl’s adopted daughter, is 

now at University studying International 

Business and Mandarin. “My parents were 

always open about my adoption, and from 

an early age would constantly reassure me 

that it was nothing to be ashamed of,” says 

Amara. “They would encourage me to ask 

questions whenever I felt confused, low, or 

just wanted to learn more about my 

adoption journey. Being so transparent 

with my family really strengthened our 

relationship, and I grew up feeling wanted, 

loved and secure.” 

Sherifa, who has worked in social care 

since 2003, highlights that since 2014, the 

adoption process has become easier and 

shorter and is now split into a two-stage 

process that spans across six months. 

Though this may still seem like a long time 

for some, Sherifa explains that the process 

is worth it. “Adoption is a route to 

parenthood, and as a Social Work 

practitioner, nothing gives me more joy 

than seeing the lives of children 

transformed for the better despite obstacles 

and an adverse start in life.” 

There are children all over England 

who are looking for loving parents and 

homes. For Black children, who are 

overrepresented in the care system, this is 

even more true. The adoption process is 

now simpler and quicker than ever before 

and there is a lot more support available, 

with over three quarters of adoptive parents 

finding resources helpful. 

The #YouCanAdopt campaign is being 

delivered from a cross-sector of Regional 

Adoption Agencies, Voluntary Adoption 

Agencies and other key stakeholders 

around adoption in England and is 

supported by the Department for 

Education. The campaign aims to ensure 

people have the correct information about 

adoption and do not rule themselves out 

based on false beliefs and assumptions. 

For more information, please visit 

https://www.youcanadopt.co.uk/blackadopters 

STALLIONS AIR 

Ipanema Travel Ltd 

AFRICA FLIGHTS 

SPECIALISTS 

LAGOS fr £477 

(2 Bags) 

020 7580 5999 

07979 861 455 

Call AMIT / ALEX 

73 WELLS ST, W1T 3QG 

All Fares Seasonal 

ATOL 9179



Page11 




persistent feelings of fear. 

Ruth described her symptoms: “I 

have nightmares here and I can hardly 

sleep. I have insomnia and I have a 

constant pain in my stomach. We have 

to get out of here. How can they leave 

us here after all that has happened? I 

was in good health when I first arrived 

in prison. Who is going to take 

responsibility for what happened to 

me? We haven’t had good care, and we 

don’t even get medicine anymore. We 

need to see doctors and get good 

treatment.” 

Bibiche, 43, whose husband is also 

held at Kasapa prison, said inmates 

groped her multiple times and punched 

her in the stomach. She said she was 

still suffering from abdominal pain at 

the time Human Rights Watch 

interviewed her in March 2021. 

In his June 23 letter to Human 

Rights Watch, Kyabula, the Provincial 

Governor, said that the provincial 

government “responds regularly and 

promptly to the requests of needs from 

[Kasapa prison’s] Director and the 

medical center’s Chief Doctor.” 

However, rape survivors did not receive 

timely and adequate medical care. A 

local non-governmental organization 

provided emergency care to some of the 

women detainees on September 30, 

2020, five days after the first rape cases, 

making post-rape treatments ineffective 

to prevent HIV infection and unwanted 

pregnancy. Moreover, only half of the 

women benefited from the treatment 

due to lack of stock; others were only 

given antibiotics. 

Provincial authorities did not 

provide the prison with basic first aid 

kits and medication before late October, 

multiple sources said. Survivors of 

sexual violence received no medical 

treatment or counselling for two 

months, until a medical team was 

eventually deployed on December 1. 

The next day, MSF a medical tent on 

the prison grounds, treated all women 

and provided them with psychological 

support until December 16. Authorities 

have not provided any follow-up 

medical or psychosocial support to the 

rape survivors since that date. Human 

Rights Watch is not aware of any 

medical assistance provided to male 

survivors of sexual violence. 

Bernadette, 30, said she was raped 

twice during the riot. She had an 

unplanned pregnancy as a result but 

miscarried. She was released from 

prison in late February 2021 and 

described her continuing physical pain: 

“When I wash, my body tingles and I 

have vertigo. I contracted diseases and 

infections because of the rape and the 

conditions in prison. I still have 

abdominal pain since I’ve been freed 

but I can’t afford an ultrasound.” 

Stigma and Rejection 

Stigma and rejection are significant 

barriers for women and girls from 

Kasapa Central Prison in disclosing 

rape or seeking help. Some survivors 

said they fear their husbands or partners 

would abandon them if they disclosed 

they had been raped. Others said they 

feared family members would blame 

them, or that community members 

would publicly taunt them. 

Micheline said she lied to her 

husband: “A group of four boys came 

up to me, they took me behind the 

storage facility. I was crying, begging 

them to let me go. I told them they 

could have been my children, [three] 

then stopped but one of them still raped 

me. When my husband asked me what 

they had done to me, I lied to him and 

told him that they beat me. I can’t tell 

him that I was raped, otherwise my 

marriage will end.” 

Henriette, 47, said her husband 

stopped visiting her after he found out 

she was raped. She explained that his 

church eventually convinced him to 

visit her, but he warned that she would 

need to pay a “fine” to return home 

Congested prisons in DR Congo (March 2020) 

once released according to his customs. 

One of the detainees who was freed 

in recent months, Josephine, 54, said 

she was not able to tell her husband that 

she was raped and had contracted HIV: 

“If I tell my husband that I was raped 

and I got HIV, he will kick me out, and 

where am I going to go? I will be in the 

streets. I can’t even tell my children … 

My life is now wasted, my marriage 

and the future of my children, too.” 

Absence of Justice 

On September 29, 2020, 

Lubumbashi’s Public Prosecutor 

opened an investigation into the rapes. 

Thirty-seven women detainees and a 

17-year-old girl testified during the 

Public Prosecutor’s investigation that 

they had been raped. 

In an October 5 letter that Human 

Rights Watch has seen, the Prosecutor 

requested a medical examination of 

sexual violence survivors by one of 

Lubumbashi’s main hospitals. 

However, despite this request and a 

second one in late November, hospital 

authorities failed to comply. Human 

Rights Watch contacted the hospital’s 

Director by phone in April, but the 

Director would not answer questions. 

Between October and December, 

investigators interviewed 38 female 

detainees at Kasapa prison. In January 

2021, investigators went to Likasi and 

interviewed three convicted women 

who had been transferred to Boma 

prison. They also interviewed four of 

the alleged riot leaders who had been 

transferred to Buluo prison. On June 23, 

investigators returned to Buluo prison 

to interview ten prisoners alleged to 

have committed rape, and confronted 

them with three survivors. Investigators 

say they lack logistical support to plan 

a new round of interviews. 

The military prosecutor interviewed 

all prison officials, according to 

Kasapa’s military section commander. 

However, Human Rights Watch has 

found no evidence that any 

investigation was taking place into the 

security failings that enabled the 

September riot to occur.


Earn money as a Trumpet Ambassador 

campaign. 

Sale of Banner Adverts, ‘Highlights’ and 

Mail-shots our in Email Newsletters. 

With rates ranging from £100 to £500 per 

insertion, we pay Ambassadors a 15% 

Commission. 

Sale of Advertising on our Social Media 

channels. 

With rates ranging between £100 to £200 

per channel per post, we pay a 15% 

Commission. 

Sale of Sponsorship, Advertising, 

Exhibition spaces and Tickets for GAB 

Awards and Trumpet Connect. 

With most products and services ranging 

between £100 and £20,000, we pay a 15% 

Commission. 

Engagement Status 

Our freelance Ambassadors run their own 

business, work from their own home or 

office, and choose the amount of time 

they devote to the programme. They work 

towards the amount they want to earn. 

They choose their legal status in terms of 

whether they operate as a Self-Employed 

individual or a Limited Company or any 

other appropriate status depending on the 

country they operate, but we suggest you 

take professional advice on this. 

Ambassadors are fully responsible for 

ensuring their tax affairs and other related 

issues fulfil the legal requirements of their 

country of operation. 

Incentives 

From time to time, to incentivise our 

Ambassadors, we may run special 

promotions, or reward achievements, 

milestones and introduction of other 

Ambassadors to the programme through 

cash or advert credits. 

About Us 

Trumpet Media Group is an 

international media organisation with 

various media products, services and 

events targeting Africa, Africans and Friends 

of Africa in the Diaspora and on the 

Continent. 

Its first media venture - Trumpet Newspaper 

started 23 years ago - in 1995, closely 

followed by the founding of the prestigious 

Gathering of Africa’s Best (GAB) Awards in 

1999. There are a number of other niche 

products, services and events - with plans to 

grow our portfolio over the coming months 

and years. 

Sales Ambassadors 

Our planned future growth has given rise to 

the need to take on talented and ambitious 

Sales Ambassadors who share our vision of: 

promoting the positive image of Africa and 

Africans, and are able to sell some (or all) of 

our growing number of products and services 

on a freelance basis. 

Products and Services 

We are introducing our portfolio of products, 

services, and events below on to the Trumpet 

Ambassadors Programme (TAP) in phases. 

Print Newspapers: The Trumpet Newspaper 

and Trumpet Ghana Newspaper. 

Website: www.TrumpetMediaGroup.com 

Email Newsletters: Trumpet Newsbreaker, 

Trumpet Kenya, Trumpet Nigeria, Trumpet 

Sierra Leone, Trumpet Gambia, Trumpet 

Ghana 

Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, 

Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+ and WhatsApp. 

Events: GAB Awards and Trumpet Connect. 

The Opportunities 

Opportunities to earn revenue through 

Commissions are currently available by 

way of: 

Sale of Subscriptions to any (or both) of 

our Print Newspapers. 

With Annual Subscriptions starting from 

£60, we pay a 10% Commission. 

Distribution and Sales of bulk copies our 

Newspapers. 

We pay a 35% Commission - split between 

the Ambassador and the Sales Outlet. 

(Outlets will usually take between 15% 

and 25% depending on its type and your 

negotiating skills.) 

Ambassadors may choose to sell directly 

to their clientele or at events and keep the 

entire 35% Commission. 

Sale of Advertising Spaces in our Print 

Newspapers. 

With most Advert Spaces ranging from 

£80 to £4500 per edition, we pay a 15% 

Commission. You receive a Commission 

on all editions in the campaign in line 

with the Client’s payment - for example, if 

an advertiser books and pays for six 

editions, you get a Commission on all six 

editions. 

Sale of Banner Adverts on Website 

With Banner Adverts ranging between 

£50 and £200 per week, we pay a 15% 

Commission for the length of the 

Payments 

Commission Payments to Ambassadors 

are made by the 15th day of the month 

following payment of Clients - For 

example, Commission on Clients’ 

payments in January will be paid by 15th 

February. 

Distribution and Sales of bulk copies of 

Newspapers (4.3) are excluded from the 

payment arrangement above (7.1). 

An Ambassador buys and pays for bulk 

copies in advance at a discounted rate 

with the TAP Commission deducted upfront. 

For example, if an Ambassador 

orders bulk copies worth £100 in advance, 

the Ambassador only pays us £65 

(deducting the 35% Commission upfront). 

We operate a No-Returns policy on 

Newspaper Sales. 

Joining the Programme 

It currently costs £100 per annum to join 

the Trumpet Ambassadors Programme 

(TAP). 

Introductory Offer - Join the programme 

by 31 August 2018 and accumulate sales 

of at least £1000 across any or all of our 

products by 30 September 2018; and we 

will reward you with 100 TAP Points 

worth £100 - which you can spend on any 

of our opportunities (4.2) - (4.8). 

To join the programme, please request the 

Trumpet Ambassadors Programme Form 

and via email: info@the-trumpet.com

Diaspora 

UK Parliamentarians meet 

Nigerian Diaspora 



Page13 

Members of Parliament (MPs) in 

the United Kingdom have 

hosted a workshop with 

members of the Nigerian diaspora in 

Peckham in London’s Borough of 

Southwark. 

The House of Commons’ Foreign 

Affairs Committee hosted the workshop 

as part of the Committee’s parliamentary 

inquiry into the relationship between the 

UK and Nigeria. The purpose of the 

session was to hear from those with ties 

to both Nigeria and Britain. 

Foreign Affairs Committee Chair - 

Tom Tugendhat MP, led the workshop, 

alongside another Committee Member: 

Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP - 

Neil Coyle. 

Southwark includes one of the largest 

Nigeria diaspora populations in the UK. 

MPs broke off into groups with 

attendees, with each group focusing on a 

different topic, such as Nigerian SME 

businesses and trade, education, and 

security and governance. The discussion 

groups then fed their conclusions back to 

the wider group. 

Tom Tugendhat MP, said: “The 

Nigerian community is a growing 

community with interests that we share. 

You, the diaspora, act as a living bridge 

between our two communities, the UK 

and Nigeria. 

“During the course of this inquiry we 

have been reminded of the creativity and 

innovation generated from Nigeria and its 

diaspora. Some of us have personally 

experienced the warmth of your culture 

both in the UK and in Nigeria and for 

others of us, this is a new experience. 

“We want to hear from you who know 

it best. We know Nigeria faces challenges 

as well as opportunities. We want to hear 

what these are and how the UK 

Government should partner with Nigeria 

in the coming years.” 

After the session, Neil Coyle MP, 

said: “Hearing from members of the 

Nigerian diaspora has been invaluable, 

and the conversations had today will play 

an important role in shaping our inquiry. 

The Nigerian diaspora possess a wealth 

of knowledge and a richness of 

Southwark session 

understanding that can only be gained 

through lived experience. 

“I would like to thank the Southwark 

Nigeria community for deputising for 

Lagos. Nigeria and the UK already share 

close bonds, but from today’s session it 

is clear that the UK can do more to 

support Nigerians, and to enable our 

countries to work closely together.” 

Police renew appeal 

20 years after torso 

Tel: +44 (0) 7956 385 604 

found in Thames 


His torso was clothed in a pair of orange shorts 

their efforts to identify those responsible for 

this murder of a young child and ask 

anyone with information that could assist 

them to come forward. 

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Kieran, 

a homicide detective from the Met’s 

Specialist Crime Command, said: “It is 

incredibly sad and frustrating that Adam’s 

murder remains unsolved. The Homicide 

Command has been working tirelessly over 

the years to find out who is responsible. 

“We recognise people may not have 

wanted to speak up at the time and may 

have felt loyal to the person or people 

involved in this. 

“However, over the past 20 years, 

allegiances and relationships may have 

changed and some people may now feel 

more comfortable talking to us. We implore 

them be bold and come forward if they 

know something, so that we can finally 

deliver justice once and for all. 

“No matter how old or small that 

information may seem, it really could make 

all the difference. 

“This young boy has not and will not be 

forgotten. He deserved better and we will 

not give up on him.” 

A woman was previously arrested on 

suspicion of murder, she was later bailed 

and released with no further action. A man 

was previously arrested and interviewed in 

connection with the possible trafficking of 

Adam into the UK. He was later bailed and 

released with no further action. Another 

man was also arrested and interviewed on 

suspicion of alleged trafficking offences. 

He was later bailed and released with no 

further action. 

Anyone with information relating this 

case should contact police on 101, Tweet 

@MetCC or call Crimestoppers 

anonymously on 0800 555 111.


We are recruiting: 

Independent Sales Consultants 

Trumpet Media Group - an 

international media 

organisation targeting Africa, 

Africans and Friends of Africa 

in the Diaspora and on the 

Continent was founded 24 

years ago - in 1995. 

Our growth has given rise to the need to engage the services 

of self-employed Independent Sales Consultants and 

organisations to sell some (or all) of our growing number of 

products and services on a Commission-only basis. 

The Opportunities 

Opportunities to earn revenue through Commissions are 

currently available by way of: 

· Sale of Subscriptions to our Print Newspapers. 

· Distribution and Sales of bulk copies our Newspapers. 

· Sale of Advertising Spaces in our Print Newspapers. 

· Sale of Banner Adverts on Website. 

· Sale of Banner Adverts, ‘Highlights’ and Mail-shots in Email 

Newsletters. 

· Sale of Advertising posts on our Social Media channels. 

· Sale of Sponsorship, Advertising, Exhibition spaces and 

Tickets for GAB Awards and other events. 

To apply, please email: info@the-trumpet.com


Page15


Technology 

Empowering young Africa girls through 

technology 

African girl coders are taking the lead 

in ensuring gender equity and balance 

in technology on the continent, a field 

majorly dominated by their male 

counterparts. 

Through Connected African Girls Coding 

Camp initiative, a joint programme of the UN 

Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in 

collaboration with UN Women and the 

International Telecommunication Union 

(ITU), young girls are applying their coding 

skills that include Animation, Gaming, Turtles 

stitch, artificial intelligence, robotics and 

internet of things they acquire through the 

program training. 

The initiative has held training camps for 

African girls from across the continent in 

Ethiopia and Cameroon. The aim is to bridge 

the 23% digital divide between men and 

women on the continent. 

Theresa John, 21, a University student 

from Tanzania is a beneficiary of the coding 

camps. With the skills she acquired on 

animation, she said she is creating awareness 

and encouraging girls in her community to 

pursue technology. 

“Whenever I am working on an animation 

a project, I have to involve the girls from my 

village so that they can see what I am doing 

and the results of it. This way they get 

interested in technology and see that it can be 

done,” said Theresa. 

“With my skills on coding I am able to 

show them that technology is very useful and 

important, and it applies to real situations in 

the world. It is a tool to empower young 

people and create employment.” 

She says with the little money she makes 

from her projects she is able to take care of 

expenses at the university and pay for her 

internet. 

However, the biggest challenge for 

Theresa is the fact that she has to use on 

laptop for a bigger group and access to the 

internet is limited. 

Fatou Ndiaye from Senegal who is also a 

beneficiary of the coding camp attended the 

recent camp in Cameroon online. She 

showcased her online e-shop that she uses to 

sell clothing and bags online. 

“Through my programming skills I was 

able to create the e-commerce shop by myself 

where I sell my products and I am able to 

reach most people including those far away 

from my town,” she said adding that the idea 

of an online shop came up after she attended 

the coding camp. 

“Most young people have embraced 

online shopping because it saves time and 

gives you access to a variety of products 

faster. This is where the world is headed and 

as African girls, we should not be left 

behind.” 

The Connected African Girls Coding 

Camp Initiative is expected to reach more 

girls through more coding camps by 2022. 

This is in line with the United Nations 

Sustainable development goal (SDG) 5 on 

Health 

gender equity and SDG4 on education and 

skills development 

In December 2020, the programme 

brought together over 3000 girls aged 17 – 25 

from 32 African countries at the first coding 

camp. By 2022, 14 coding camps are 

expected to be organized to increase 

significantly the number of girls across 

Africa. 

Jean-Paul Adam, ECA’s Director for 

Technology, Climate Change and Natural 

Resources Management, says to promote 

gender equity and ensure more girls take up 

technology, it is important to create platforms 

for women to collaborate and share their 

knowledge on coding. This will tremendously 

have an impact on the economic growth. 

“Women can challenge the existing 

stereotypes on science, technology and 

innovation if given an opportunity and the 

right platform to showcase their skills.” 

He said although the percentage of 

women in the labor force has over the years 

gradually increased, it remains significantly 

lower in the technology sector. 

“The significant lack of connectivity for 

women is undermining their capacity to reach 

their economic potential. A situation that 

urgently needs to be addressed,” said Mr 

Adam. 

Letty Chiwara, UN Women 

Representative to Ethiopia, the Africa Union 

Commission and the ECA, said Girls face 

discrimination in the sector because computer 

science has always been seen as a course for 

boys, not girls. Therefore, boosting women’s 

digital literacy today would have far-reaching 

inter-generational implications. 

“Women are uniquely suited to prepare 

younger generations to participate in the 

digital economy, a reason why government 

should empower more women in the fields of 

science and technology,” she said. 

The third coding boot camp was held 

Buea, Douala and Yaounde in Cameroon, 

where about 8500 young females aged 

between 12 and 25 from all over Africa 

attended. 

ECA is organizing the next Connected 

African Girls Coding Camp initiative in 

Guinea in November. There is also an 

Innovation Fair scheduled for September in 

Cameroon where the girls can showcase their 

projects and win prizes. 

Could you reduce your meat consumption? 

By Dr Helen Flaherty 

Take a break from red and processed 

meat every week 

Don’t feel pressured to cut out all meat 

from your diet. If you tend to eat red and/or 

processed meat most days, why not 

challenge yourself to one meat-free day 

every week? Try searching online or in 

cookbooks for meat-free recipes. You can 

also get some inspiration by visiting: 

one of which should be an oily fish. Oily 

fish, such as salmon, sardines, and 

mackerel, contain omega-3 fatty acids 

which help to keep your heart healthy. 

Many red and processed meats are 

high in saturated fat. Too much 

saturated fat in the diet can raise 

the amount of LDL cholesterol in the blood. 

The NHS recommends a daily meat intake 

of no more than 70g. Reducing your intake 

of red and processed meats will not only 

benefit your health, but it is also good for 

the environment. 

We have some tips to help you reduce 

your red and processed meat consumption. 

What are red, white and processed 

meats? 

Red meat includes beef, lamb and pork 

and it tends to be higher in saturated fat. 

White meat, such as chicken and turkey are 

lower in total fat and saturated fat. 

Processed meat includes smoked, cured and 

preserved meats, such as bacon, salami, 

sausages and ham. 

Switch to white meat or fish 

If you cook with a lot of red and 

processed meat, or if steak is your usual 

option when eating out, try switching to 

chicken, turkey or fish instead. This will 

help to reduce your saturated fat intake. 

Aim to eat two portions of fish every week, 

Try some vegetarian alternatives 

Meat substitutes, such as vegetarian 

sausages, mince and burgers are lower in 

saturated fat than equivalent meat products. 

Keep an eye on food labels as some meat 

substitutes are high in calories and salt. If 

you’re not a fan of ‘fake meat’ you could 

try products made with beans, pulses, and 

nuts as these are all good sources of protein. 

· Dr Helen Flaherty is the Head of 

Health Promotion at Heart Research UK 

TheTrumpet is published in London fortnightly by Trumpet 

Field: 07956 385 604 E-mail: info@the-trumpet.com (ISSN: 1477-3392)

The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 554 (September 22 - October 5 2021)

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?