Debate: Do celebrities get away with crime more than ordinary people? (Yes, their titles are hard to ignore)

It wouldnt be unfair to say that Oscar Pistorius got off easy for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. It was a case that had a lot of publicity and quite a lot of people are still questioning the honourable judge’s decision but, that’s none of my business. Let’s come back closer to home or actually home. Anyone remember celebrated rapper Riderman’s early morning accident involving a commuter with passengers heading to work? Well, anyone knows anything that happened to the case? I guess not. Ugandan music star Jose Chameleon was involved in a case last year where a one Robert Karamagi allegedly set himself ablaze at the singer’s home and later died at Mulago Hospital. Where did that one end up? Now, there’s a country that prides itself on transparent judiciary called the United States of America. But as things go, it has proved to let big titles off the hook. From Lindsey Lohan to O.J. Simpson, history has unfortunately proven that wealth and fame allows celebrities to get off with much lighter sentences for their crimes. Reading George Orwell’s Animal Farm, you realise that the most vital commandment of the animals was: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”. When we replace the word people for animals, and if you are aware and observant, it is easy to understand why people are more equal than others. This is because of their careers, status in society and wealth. Secondly, when they commit offenses, particularly if they are generally well-liked, like in Riderman’s case, the public sentiment tends to be more forgiving, allowing them to continue life, as if nothing ever happened. Often, their crime is attributed to being a result of different issues in their life. Additionally, when celebrities are on trial for a criminal case, they can hire the best attorneys, manipulating the justice system in their favour hence getting a de facto lighter or no sentence at all. Of course it doesn’t make it right, but I’m more concerned about the message we are sending to our youth. We have celebrities committing multiple offences being let off the hook easily forgetting that the youth look up to them. Once our youth realise that money, looks and titles can guarantee a 72-hour jail sentence, they get the impression that it is easy to commit offences and go scot free. This is not the sort of message we should be sending. Justice should be equal in all aspects of the law, regardless of one’s status in society or the amount of money in your pocket. There is a dire need for the word “just” to be put back in the phrase “justice system”.

Lifestyle

Debate: Do celebrities get away with crime more than ordinary people? (Yes, their titles are hard to ignore)