LEDAP condemns today's execution of 4 death row prisoners; Chima Ejiofor, Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aiguokhan and Richard Igagu in Edo State despite their pending appeals at the court of appeal. The AG of Edo State and the prison authorities were duly served with the court processes comprising the notice of appeal and motion for stay of execution.
Under the Nigerian laws, an appeal and application for stay of execution should restrain further action until the appeal is determined. By executing the prisoners, Nigeria government has demonstrated gross disregard to the rule of law and respect for the judicial process.
It will be recalled that Legal Defence and Assistance Project - LEDAP and Human Rights, Social Development and Environmental Foundation - HURSDEF on the 19th of October, 2012 filed a suit at the Federal High Court Benin Division, on behalf of death row prisoners earmarked for execution by Edo State Government. In the suit, the death row prisoners in the suit contends that to execute them after over 16 years of trauma, suspense and imminent death would amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. The prisoners further asked the court to order the Edo State Governor to commute their death sentences to terms of imprisonment. However, judgment was delivered today against the inmates by Hon Justice Liman of the Federal High Court Benin, holding among other grounds, that the prisoners did not place sufficient facts before the court to substantiate the relief sought in the suit.
LEDAP filed an appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered today and also a motion for stay of execution pending the outcome of the appeal and served the Notice of Appeal with the Motion for stay of execution on the Attorney General of Edo State and prison authorities in Edo State. Furthermore, all death row prisoners filed a case pending at the Court of Appeal Lagos challenging the decision of state governors to sign their execution warrants (Godwin Pius & Ors vs. Governor of Abia State & Ors).
Both appeals are pending at the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governor and Comptroller General of Prisons are parties in both appeals. LEDAP is representing the prisoners in both appeal and also a party to the appeal in Edo State.
LEDAP condemns the execution of the four inmates despite the pendency of the appeal and motion for stay of execution filed by the inmates. Execution of the inmates while their appeal is pending is unlawful and amounts to a total disregard to the rule of law and judicial process in any democratic system.
53 comments:
I get that they have spent over 16 years of their lives behind bars but...what exactly did they do???It could be their crime was grievous & punishable by death.
No need for this epistle, since Nigeria is ok with capital punishment, let in the same vein capital punishment be administered to the corrupt set of politicians we have in this country. Asian countries are doing it and corruption is very low over there.
What is this country turning into?gosh!this is so inhuman...
ok, why is it that after they have snuffed the lives of other people in a gruesome way they are now afraid to die and are seeking appeal?
Anyway whether LEDAP condemns the execution or not, they are gone.
Abeg these pple shud gaan sleep, wen those prisoners were brutally commuting those murders didn't dey knw it was unlawful? They brutally took away dia victim's right to live and wen its time to face the music dey want to exercise rights...mtchewwwwwww
This is very troubling and frightening. Who's next? You? Me?
Abeggy. Do you d pains n agony these accused must of caused parties involved in whatever malicious acts they must of committed.... I do not condone execution, but justice has to b served.... when they meet their maker, let him judge them accordingly to their deeds.... God bless..
All these human rights fighters sef, dem like to fight air.... am sure such association wud fight as regards to d aluu 4 suspects if prosecuted in latter years... awon oponu jatijati.
Some unnecessary org just want unnecessary familiarity
Linda Ikeji!!!! Where is Gtbank story??? Have they bought your conscience as well?? People have been speculating that you are yet to carry it for this reason. I'm starting to believe them... Where is your conscience and somewhat transparent blogging????
What was their crimes?was it brutal enuf 4 dem 2 be executed? Dose are the questions this piece hasn't anwered,til den,we can hardly condemn their execution!let's knw d crimes dey had committed and wat d cinstitution rules concerning such crimes! Some criminals donot deserve attention nor an appeal considering d enormity of dia crimes.....so Linda,try 2 enlighten us on d nature of dia crimes,Tank u :)
Dis is Nigeria whr d lawmakers re greater than d law
This one na grammar «Rapunzel»
Sorry to say but Nigerian Legal System is absolutely funny.
Confused face
who the heck is this LEDAP wat the fuck u talking about? this people took life, theirs should b taken too
Let the Law take it full sincere course
U people didn't state their offences o! If they killed or kidnaped,they deserved it shikina...all those tinz na to use buy time for them. Commit. More serious crimes against humanity...Naija is hard for everyone,so if u decide to kill and extort innocent hustlers kos u feel u r stronger,one day one day,the strongest hand of d almighty GOD will cramp u and "adieu" be ur title!!!...#nuffsaid!
Wow.......thumbs up linda at least this blog www.linked2kay.blogspot.com was inspired by you
The action of the Edo State governor is gross. Oshiomole had notice of the pendency of the appeal of the prisoners at the Court of Appeal, Lagos; he had notice of the fact that the prisoners had already served out 16 years in jail, which is good enough for the commutation of their sentence to life term, if you ask me; he had been served with a stay of execution notice in view of the appeal. Why then did he hurriedly sign the warrant of execution of the prisoners? There is no other name for the action of Oshiomole than INJUSTICE, HOMICIDE for which he, too, should suffer summary execution. I dare reiterate, the unjust, spiteful attitude to the rule of law and due process by the Edo governor must be adequately remedied!
For the offense of the accused, the law prescribes only death sentence. A death sentence is never meted out alongside a jail term. But owing to this bloody action of that midget of a heady governor, the hapless men's punishment became both DEATH + 16 YEARS IMPRISONMENT. Indeed Nigeria's Criminal Code never intended or contemplated this kind of ponderous injustice.
At a time the whole world is repudiating capital punishment, and despite the fact that the UN at a time had asked its member nations to declare a moratorium on capital punishment for a certain number of years I can remember now, I find it scandalous that Oshiomole still went ahead to do this evil.
Given the irreversibility of capital punishment, in the sense that you can't call the dead back to life, it has become the practice that the charge against an accused in respect of a capital crime like murder must must be made to reach the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, for hearing and determination, without which the life of a prisoner may not be taken.
Something tells me Oshiomole sacrificed those guys to the demons he worships just for political power!
Perchance he is also the one that killed his wife, Clara, a few years back, in the same racket of ritualistic appeasement to his bloodthirsty, malevolent gods in whose image he has been recreated!!!!
To me I think its good or okay if death sentences are given for some special or sever crimes because this will reduce the rate of these kinda crimes in the country and I also believe that crimes also like stealing of public funds which send the masses to poverty, illness and depression should be given on dose corrupt officials, maybe naija will be better also! This also will reduce the rate of corruption... I'm JUST SAYING...
Linda, there is no appeal pending at any court. The Supreme Court has found them guilty and execution of criminals is part of our jurisprudence. Amnesty and Ledap cannot force their will or wish on us.
These guys have been found guilty by the Courts (High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court) and they deserve the capital punishment.
Wen dey were killing, dismembering nd forcefully robbing nd strangling someone to death, where were LEDAP or watever dey call demselves. If it were ur family member dat was killed nd dismemberd will u say dat.... Comment reserved.
Benin Robbers not only rob people of valuables, they also waste your life. my friend was raped in front of her parents, then killed. her dad was also killed. imagine the trauma the woman would go through for a lifetime. and here, LEDAP is talking about 16 years of Trauma. Oshio baba is doing the right thing.
people will never cease to amaze me! am not against execution of criminals,I just fear this country, how do we know if the executed merited that death penalty...this country of ours where the innocent are killed, lynched, hanged, battered because they are defenseless! The Government need to prove they are working so there must be a scape goat! God protect us!
I'm against death as a capital punishment....Nobody has the right to take another life no matter the offence. I thought sentencing to death has been abolished as a capital punishment! Disregard for the appeal is injustice and under the law as long as the appeal was in a federal court the state has no right to execute these prisoners....smh! Naija sha
A life imprisonment would av been beta cus only god has d right to take someone's life
If the people they did not only kill, but
1.butchered and dismembered her parts
2. Robbing and strangling
Was ur relative, I just hope u would be fighting this stupuid course. Let's call a spade a spade and fight rightly.
Dil
Lackadaisical attitude towards the rule of Law. Injustice at its peak....what happens to presumption of innocence until proven guilty? This is a total infringement of the fundamental human rights of the victims, Yes!!! I call them VICTIMS because that is what our judicial system has made them be. Justice must not only be done, it must be manifestly seen to be done. How can a judge proceed to judgement when there is a stay of execution on the matter? And then the Governor of that state (painfully my state) willfully signs the warrant of such execution.... This is MURDER and it is nothing short of PREMEDITATED!!!
with due respect to everyone , what @Simplycock stated is the position of the law. i wanted to say that, but hes said it all. and funny that this is coming from a "labour" governor. who claims to be all rights, and equity and blah blah. gross disregard for law. but what do u expect in a country where anything goes?
You and only you
If a member of ur elder broda was killed n dismembered,next yo mum robbed tortured n strangled to death(dats their crime) u won't type dis crap....ode!!!
You are stupid
Very stupid in fact..
Shut up, Death penalty is needed in this country simple
@ simplycock...surely u are a cock,bcos u tink lyk a chicken,so is evryone dat supports him...hw can u jus conclude lyk dat..one simple question dat i wnt ur chicken brain..if d persons dat wer dismemberd at death point by one of dose criminals,happend to be ur broda or sista,or evn ur mother,wud u wish dat criminal just 16 years imprisonment..?simplycock ko...chicken brain ni....mtchwee..
Gross stupidity..an eye for an eye..dis guys used to be killers..they deserve evri tin they got..sum ar here saying rubbish like "they dnt deserve to be hanged"..I swear if one of dis men killed ur bro or sis..am sure ur opinion won't b d same.........THE DON
SOME PEOPLE POSTING ON THIS BLOG ARE FOOLS, AND IDIOTS!
A LIFE FOR A LIFE, SEVERE PUNISHMENT IS THE ONLY WAY TO DETER PEOPLE FROM COMMITTING CRIMES, YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE WHO WILL DARE COMMIT MURDER THAT IN NIGERIA IT IS A LIFE FOR A LIFE. NO PITY. BECAUSE THEY DID NOT TAKE PITY ON THEIR VICTIMS.
YOU WOULD BE FOOLS TO THINK AND ARGUE OTHERWISE!
A LIFE FOR A LIFE.
SIMPLE AS THAT.
What about the life sentences given to the families of these executed prisoners' victims??? Who is speaking up for them? We know the law is manipulated in all countries of the world and it is wrong, but I choose to focus on the original victims of their crimes that resulted in these executions. Let us remember them and their suffering. Their families are still suffering and will most likely suffer for life.
Access Bank should be burnt down, they are ruining people's life in the name of employment. No labour law to fight for employees and people leave offices by 1am all in the name of bank. Why won't you bloggers fight this cause? Oh I get it, cos they are greasing your palms but God dey.
Aboti yawere ni? U and who?
are these people criticizing illiterates or ignorant? how can a court of appeal give a stay order on a judgement of supreme court? if this is all youth of this country knows about law , then i am afraid for naija's future. if na azonto music now , una go dance commot g-string. mother fucking generation. bring on your abuses , that all you guys know anyway.
are these people criticizing illiterates or ignorant? how can a court of appeal give a stay order on a judgement of supreme court? if this is all youth of this country knows about law , then i am afraid for naija's future. if na azonto music now , una go dance commot g-string. mother fucking generation. bring on your abuses , that all you guys know anyway.
Shut up!!!!!!
SIMPLYCOCK or what did u called urself put ur family in the position of those that were murdered by the criminals and speak more jargon's. though u also may be a criminal who knows.
Oriye ti daru...U alone,Solo,OyO
Supreme court found them guilty so what other appeal and stay r they asking for? An eye for an eye and only good people will have eyes.
Its not about unnecesary familiarity, its legally wrong to execute a suspect when his appeal is stil pending. Linda thanks a lot for this article am goin to add it to my project cos am writin about right to life and extra judicial killings in nigeria. I jis wish you provideD us wt d law report of the case too. Thanks
Therz no crime dat does not deserve appeal. The constitution onlu stated in section 33(2)a-d that no one shud be deprived of his ryt2life save in d execution of a death sentence of whch he's bn found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. They shud ve waited for the appeal court to dismiss the appeal b4 convicting them. Its not right@all
16yrs imprisonmnt + deathsentence amounts to double jeopardy
I need the law report please
Are u serious? U mean it was d supreme court who convicted them? If it is then ledap cnt b protesting cos d s.c is the apex court.
You want to know their crime abi? These criminals snuffed other people's life without thinking.one of them killed his new born baby and also one of them robbed and inserted bottle into a woman's vagina that led to her death.D question is do dis ppl deserve to live after causing the other families agony?abeg d law is d law
An eye for an eye,tooth for a tooth,killer be killed,I guess mosaic law,we dey watch oh I wonder how we go take grow with these kind of judgments in nigeria ANYHOW JUDGMENT,people ar watching
They deserve to die even in a more brutal way, these people raped their victims, strangled and killed them, inserted bottle insyd their victims private part, dismembered their body and many more, they should go and face Gods judgement. Anybody that is against Oshiomole concerning dis case is either a murderer or a rapist and will be caught soon 2 face d law...(Put urselves in d shoes of d victims family members)
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