Africa highlights: Kenya Odinga 'murder call' arrests, Nigeria 'fake doctor' detained

Eritrea's Foreign Minister Osman Saleh has accused Ethiopia of planting witnesses and making sure a border attack on Sunday had "maximum impact on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Eritrea", Reuters news agency reports.

Mr Osman was speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. 

Ethiopia's Ambassador Negash Kebret Botora was also present and dismissed the statement as "baseless" adding: "Internally the [Eritrean] regime continues to commit crimes against humanity as well as externally." 

On Monday, the two countries exchanged accusations over who was responsible for a clash on their disputed border.   

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Seven Kenyan lawmakers have been appearing in court in the capital, Nairobi, for an initial hearing over allegations of hate speech.

Three are from the governing Jubilee coalition and four are from the opposition Cord alliance (see earlier post).

The cases are connected to alleged comments by one of the MPs, Moses Kuria, that Cord leader Raila Odinga should be killed. Mr Kuria has denied that he said this.

The opposition MPs are accused of also making inflammatory remarks in response.

Mr Odinga (pictured centre) is also in court to see proceedings for himself:

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The court appearances have sparked tension in Nairobi's Kibera district, which is an opposition stronghold.

The police in Somalia say they have seized out-of-date food relief at the airport in the capital, Mogadishu, which were intended for distribution to help those in the south-western Gedo region.

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A police spokesperson told journalists that the food relief was sent by the UN's World Food Programme, but it is not clear how it ended up being out-of-date.

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He also confirmed that an arrest had been made in connection with the seizure of the food.

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Nigerian police have arrested a man in the capital, Abuja, after, it's alleged, it was found he had been posing as a medical doctor for 10 years.

Victor Moffat Akpan is accused of opening a maternity clinic using forged professional certificates, the Daily Trust newspaper reports.

He is said to have been involved in antenatal clinics, delivered babies and conducted surgery.

Mr Akpan, who has not commented on the allegations, is accused of having used the unique registration number of another doctor who graduated in 1995, the Daily Trust says.

The UN is this week hosting a two-day event on how to eliminate poverty and inequality for people with disabilities and promote their rights.

BBC Africa has been talking to people with disabilities to find out how their lives are affected.

Grace Jerry is a Nigerian recording artist and disability rights advocate. She was paralysed after an accident in 2002: 

"But today I am full of confidence, life and joy," she says.

Grace JerryCopyright: Grace Jerry

"I have grown beyond my society's definition of disability to become an advocate for an inclusive world and to demand change in our laws and programmes in Nigeria. 

"Music took on a whole new dimension for me after the accident. Last year I performed my song, E Go Happen with 500 young Africans participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship in America."

Rights group Amnesty International says "the European Union risks fuelling horrific abuses of migrants and refugees in Libya".  

In a statement, the group has criticised the EU's plans to cooperate more closely with Libya’s new authorities to tackle migration. 

Amnesty says that in the absence of safeguards in Libya to respect the rights of migrants and refugees, training its coast guard to intercept them, means the EU risks becoming complicit in their alleged abuse.  

Libya's internationally backed government recently requested greater logistical and training support from Europe for its coastguard.  

But the country’s new authorities are only nominally in control of its own forces and Libya is still suffering from political chaos with rival administrations in the county.  

ReutersCopyright: Reuters

A South African man who is accused of hacking to death his parents and older brother has been released on bail a day after he handed himself in, the AP news agency reports.

Henri van Breda is accused of using an axe to kill his family members in January 2015.

The murders caused widespread shock in South Africa at the time.

AP quotes a court official as saying that he will next appear in court, in Cape Town, in September.

West Ham United have signed Algeria international Sofiane Feghouli on a three-year deal.

The winger joins the cub on a free transfer from Valencia.

"I am very happy to sign for the Hammers and for Slaven Bilic. The history of the club is important for me in my decision," Feghouli told the club's official website.  

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that the comments of its vice-president Seyi Akinwunmi about lesbianism and the women's game had been misreported in an "uncharitable version of the interview" reported in newspapers on Monday.

He was talking about a recent dip in form of Nigeria's national women's team, the Super Falcons, and was quoted in the Herald newspaper as saying that "lesbianism kills teams. People are afraid to talk about it." 

But the NFF says that Mr Akinwunmi had "touched briefly on the issue of lesbianism in Nigerian women's football and its effect on fund-raising efforts for the game".

An NFF statement then has a quote from the vice-president:

Quote Message: I noted that one of the problems we have encountered in trying to raise funds for the women's game, is the perception of lesbianism therein, as many of our potential sponsors have shied away from supporting the women's game because of the misconception that it is synonymous with lesbianism.

I noted that one of the problems we have encountered in trying to raise funds for the women's game, is the perception of lesbianism therein, as many of our potential sponsors have shied away from supporting the women's game because of the misconception that it is synonymous with lesbianism.

Quote Message: These potential sponsors have decided to err on the side of caution and have opted to stay away from supporting our female teams rather than be caught up in this maelstrom."

These potential sponsors have decided to err on the side of caution and have opted to stay away from supporting our female teams rather than be caught up in this maelstrom."

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Ethiopia's Information Minister Getachew Reda has criticised the European Union's policy towards Eritrea when it comes to dealing with the migrants leaving the country.

The EU has set up a trust fund to help support economic development in countries from where people are leaving and trying to get to Europe.

One of the places set to benefit is Eritrea. More migrants try to leave Eritrea for Europe than any other African country.

Talking to journalists in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, Mr Getachew said said:

Quote Message: We believe what they are trying to do will further embolden the regime [in Eritrea]."

We believe what they are trying to do will further embolden the regime [in Eritrea]."

He added that whereas the EU hopes the money will be used to create jobs in Eritrea, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki only creates jobs for rebel movements designed to destabilise Ethiopia.

Ethiopia and Eritrea have had tense relations ever since the 1998-2000 border war in which an estimated 80,000 people died.

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Has Eritrea's migration problem been exaggerated?

The sentence hearing for Oscar Pistorius has adjourned for the day.

There were emotional scenes in court as Barry Steenkamp, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman Pistorius murdered, gave testimony for the first time.

He broke down and was often in tears as he spoke.

Mr Steenkamp said Pistorius "must pay" for his daughter's murder.

BBC reporters were tweeting after the adjournment.

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State prosecutor Gerrie Nel requested the adjournment:

A white South African woman who was recently found guilty of hate speech after an online rant in which she complained black people were "monkeys" has been speaking following the ruling.

Penny Sparrow, who was fined 150,000 rand ($9,800; £7000), made the comments after she claimed New Year's party goers were littering a beach in Durban.

She told South Africa's News24falsenews site that said she wasn't racist and that her post had been misconstrued and that she never meant any offence:

Quote Message: “I said the things I said were read wrong. I know I mentioned monkeys and I know I said the majority was black on black but there was a mix of people.

“I said the things I said were read wrong. I know I mentioned monkeys and I know I said the majority was black on black but there was a mix of people.

Quote Message: I didn’t mean to insult anyone and it was just an expression I used.

I didn’t mean to insult anyone and it was just an expression I used.

Quote Message: I'm not a nasty person‚ I’m not an ugly person. I was born in East Africa‚ where my first language was a black language. I was brought up with black people. I find them to be wonderful people."

I'm not a nasty person‚ I’m not an ugly person. I was born in East Africa‚ where my first language was a black language. I was brought up with black people. I find them to be wonderful people."

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The South African firefighters who went to Canada to battle wildfires have returned home because of a pay dispute. 

The 301 firefighters were deployed to Alberta province two weeks ago to help quell the blaze near the oil city of Fort McMurray. 

A video of them breaking into song and dance on their arrival at Edmonton airport went viral.

But they downed hoses when they discovered they were being paid less than their Canadian counterparts.

Nigeria's former petroleum minister has denied recent allegations of corruption directed towards her in a documentary by Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera.

In the programme it's alleged that Diezani Alison-Madueke had property in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, worth $18m (£13m) and jewellery worth $2m. 

Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is said to have seized these as alleged proceeds from corruption. 

Mrs Alison-Madueke who says she was "comfortable" before she became a minister and could afford some luxuries, described those making the claims as cold-hearted.

Quote Message: This will not be the first time calculated attempts have been made to demonise and damage my reputation in the public space"

This will not be the first time calculated attempts have been made to demonise and damage my reputation in the public space"

In a statement she released on Monday she said the report by the broadcaster without any evidence was attempting to brandish her as a "common criminal".   

Quote Message: When did it become a crime for a woman of my status to have in her possession, jewellery?"

When did it become a crime for a woman of my status to have in her possession, jewellery?"

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The sentencing hearing for Oscar Pistorius has resumed after a short lunch break.

Prison nurse Charlotte Mashabane is continuing giving her evidence.

You can watch the proceedings on this live link:

Just before the lunch break at Oscar Pistorius' sentencing hearing a prison nurse, Charlotte Mashabane, was giving evidence.

He was convicted at the end of last year of the 2013 murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel already mentioned on Monday, the first day of the hearing, alleged abusive incidents in prison.

Journalists have been tweeting the proceedings.

Journalists in Kenya are reporting that there are protests in the Kibera area of the capital, Nairobi.

Kibera is considered an opposition stronghold and the protests were sparked by the arrests of four opposition lawmakers over alleged hate speech.

See earlier entry.

One journalist has tweeted pictures from the scene.

Three MPs for the governing Jubilee coalition have also been questioned by police.

The seven are due in court.

Barry Steenkamp, a tall man, looked broken on the stand as he reminded the world that this protracted legal case was about the death of his daughter, and losing her was the greatest pain he had ever known. 

Tears streamed down his face as he told the court how he thought of Reeva every day and that even after all this time it felt like it had all happened yesterday. 

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He described jabbing himself with needles from his diabetes treatment to see if he could feel the same pain his daughter must have felt the night she died.

In the aftermath of her death, he had a stroke and now has heart problems, which is why he had not been able to testify during the original trial. 

But he said he felt compelled to speak now. 

Eyes red from crying and shoulders shaking, he said that he and his wife had been changed forever and all they wanted was justice - being forgiven, did not exonerate someone from a crime.

"He has to pay for what he did," Mr Steenkamp repeated about four times. 

Pistorius stared into space as Mr Steenkamp spoke. He too had been crying. 

Senegalese Fatma Samoura will begin work in her new role as Fifa secretary general on Monday after successfully passing an eligibility check.

Football's world governing body has confirmed its independent review committee has cleared Samoura to replace Jerome Valcke.

Samoura spent 21 years working for the United Nations and becomes Fifa's first female secretary general.

The 54-year-old will work alongside new president Gianni Infantino.

Fifa is desperate to repair its image following a series of corruption allegations under previous president Sepp Blatter and Valcke.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images