Kenyan who was jailed in US for robbery fighting deportation
A Kenyan national, who was jailed in the US for robbery, is now fighting plans to have him deported.
In a case filed before the 7th Circuit Court of Appeal, Lawrence Kithongo, is seeking to continue residing in the US.
Mr Kithongo sued US Attorney General Merrick Brian as a respondent but the 7th Circuit ruled that he did not give enough evidence.
He had informed the court that he will suffer torture if he is deported to Kenya, but Judge Michael Brennan said he did not explain why he thought so.
The judge who wrote the ruling for the 7th circuit suggested that Mr Kithongo could have even presented written statements or telephonic testimony from his parents to prove that he has ever been tortured.
“Before the Board, Kithongo failed to contest the decision that he did not produce reasonably available corroborating evidence to support his application. Although, he argued that the immigration judge overlooked a report and article describing country conditions in Kenya,” the judge said.
According to documents from the Indiana State Court, Kithongo was convicted for conspiring with others to rob three victims, two of whom were minors.
The documents further indicate that the robbery was violent because one of the minors was struck in the head with a firearm while the others head and neck were pinned against the seat of a car.
Mr Kithongo was convicted in Indiana State Court of felony conspiracy to commit robbery and sentenced to one year in prison on September 3, 2019.
It is on these grounds that the immigration judge denied his applications and ordered that he is deported.
However, the suspect accused the judge of overlooking the evidence he provided which he described as relevant.