Two dramatic events with an interesting parallel took place both locally and nationally in the last week.

Nationally the detained Mohamed Haneef a suspected terrorist had charges dropped against him by the Queensland Department of Public Prosecution. Australians had been and perhaps still do ask themselves was he guilty? He had been accused of aiding terrorism for the act of giving a mobile phone sim card to a friend who was linked with the terrorist bombings in Glasgow. Was he knowingly involved in the diabolical plot to kill dozens or hundreds of innocent travelers? Or did he innocently give his sim card to a friend as anyone of us  may do before departing for travels abroad in a country far away?

Locally, Bundeena residents were shocked to find out that a suicide shooting had taken place in their town.The suicide was that of Ken Dyers who was the founder and leader of the Kenja movement (www.kenja.com). He too was suspected and charged with a heinous crime, that  of child molestation. In one scenario he was a villain consumed by guilt and decided to do take his own life. On the other he was a elderly man distraught by the false accusations brought against him by those who saw him as a false prophet through his Kenja teachings.

As a society are we  guilty of judging too quickly? Do we really believe in the principle of innocent until proven guilty. Perhaps we need to live with the fact of never knowing the truth for certain?

Related Links

Guilty

• Cult leader 'won't face justice'
• Kiddie-Fiddling Australian Cult Leader Commits Suicide

• Cult leader 'hounded to his death'
• We Honour the Life of a Great Australian