PRESS
RELEASE ON THE STATE PARDON/RELEASE OF MR. CELESTINE EGBUNUCHE
AND MR. ABU DENNIS ULUBEKA, THE OLDEST PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW IN NIGERIA DATED
12th JUNE 2019
Centre
for Peace and Conflict Management in Africa (CPMCM) and Rethink Africa
Foundation (RAF) Welcomes
the release of the
centenarian and Nigeria’s oldest prisoners, Pa Celestine Egbohuche, who had been at the confines of Enugu
Maximum Prison for over 19 years and he is about 101 years old. While Pa Abu Dennis Ulubeka has been on death
row for 16 years he is 89 years old.
We at Centre for Peace wish to express our deepest joy for the release
of Mr. Celestine Egbohuche and Mr. Abu Dennis Ulubeka they are among those whose cases we took up
years back and we subsequently filed a case on their behalf at the ECOWAS
Court.
We are thus happy that upon been served with our Court papers / commencement
of hearing and numerous other pressures the government has finally pardoned
them.
This is obviously a welcomed development and we urge other states to
emulate this good gesture.
The Centre
wishes to specially thank His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Edo State, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, as he has
the approved the immediate and unconditional release of some other prison
inmates on the recommendation of the
Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.” The freed inmates are “Abu Dennis Ulubeka (M); Tirimisiyu Adebayo (M); Tajudeen Fabiyi (M) and Olufemi Ajayi (M).”
And the Anambra government for granting reprieve to 7 prison
inmates, “Charles Omowunmi (M); Kalu Ojeh (M); Mattew Idoko (M) and Robinson
James (M).” Those whose death sentences have been commuted to life include,
“Okechukwu Maraire (M) convicted and
sentenced to death for the offence of Armed Robbery; Osamede Abbey (M) convicted and sentenced to death for the offence
of Armed Robbery; Godwin Alao (M)
convicted and sentenced to death for the offence of Murder; Monday Iyalekhue (M) convicted and
sentenced to death for the offence of Murder and Osaretin Idehen (M) found guilty but insane for the offence of
Murder and confined in prison subject to Governor’s overriding order.” Others
are, “Omokefe Alao (M) found guilty
for the offence of Murder and detained in prison at the pleasure of the
Governor; Okechukwu Okafor (M)
convicted and sentenced to death for the offence of murder; Ifeanyi Okafor (M) convicted and sentenced to death for the
offence of Armed Robbery and Sunday
Odion (M) convicted and sentenced to death for the offence of Armed Robbery.
ABOUT US
Centre
for Peace and Conflict Management in Africa (CPMCM) and Rethink Africa
Foundation (RAF)
are Nigerian
registered Non-Governmental Organization with registration numbers 41552 and
114864 respectively with the sole aim of assisting the less privileged and
providing legal services for inmates on death row in Nigeria, where possible
among others. In strategic partnership with African Right Watch Ltd (RC 1348616 ) , African Peace Magazine Ltd ( RC
1219536) and Victory Chambers.( BN 2061101 ) They have all joined hands
together to give hope to the hopeless. The NGO has been operating since 2010 in
Nigeria and West Africa.
The Executive Secretary and Board members of Centre for Peace and Conflict Management in
Africa in partnership with Rethink Africa Foundation paid a visit to some
prisons in Nigeria. Where they got first hand report of the living condition of
inmates.
It would be observed that the prisons are
overcrowded and lacked the basic facilities.
In furtherance of the Hope for The Hopeless Project the NGO identified about 350 critical
cases needing urgent judicial intervention.
It would be recalled
that the NGO had earlier in the year successfully secured a favorable judgement
from the ECOWAS Court in the case of Gabriel Inyang and Linus Iyeme v Federal Republic
of Nigeria (ECW/CCJ/APP/03/18) where the Court Ordered the immediate release of the two Applicants
after spending about 17 years on death row.
In continuation of the project the NGO is happy to announce that we
have about nine (9) cases currently
pending at the ECOWAS Court since early 2018 in addition to several others
still pending in various National Courts.
Briefs Statement
1. OZIOMA AZORYEME; a female who
was sentenced to death at the age of 16 years old and has been on death row for
about 8 years now, she has lived under extremely dehumanizing condition which
has now affected her health, currently at Suleja Prision Niger State.
2. DANIEL AKAKA; a male adult and
is presently on death row in Warri Prison, for about 28 years now, he has
undergone torture and extremely inhuman conditions. He has lived daily in fear
not knowing when and at what time he would be executed. This has made him to
develop serious medical conditions.
3. MARY BAHAGO; a female, 48
years old, is presently on death row in Suleja Prison, for about 20 years now,
she has undergone torture and extremely inhuman conditions. She has lived daily
in fear not knowing when and at what time she would be executed. This has made
her to develop high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions.
4. OLANREWAJU AKOGWU; a male adult
and he is presently on death row in Warri Prison, for about 17 years now, he
has undergone torture and extremely inhuman conditions. He has lived daily in
fear not knowing when and at what time he would be executed. This has made him
to develop serious medical conditions.
5. IFEANYI CHUKWU AKOIBI; Male, has been on death row for more than 16
years now. Sentenced to death for Armed Robbery. He has been moved from prison
to prison, currently been held at Suleja prison Niger State, Nigeria. He
equally has health challenges.
6. IBRAHIM FARI SHAFIU; Male, has been on death row for about 9 years
now. He was convicted
by the High Court in Okene Kogi State on a charge of murder and sentenced to
death by hanging on a forced and uncorroborated confessional statement, without
any form of identification parade. No witness at all, rather he was just picked
up on the street and forced to confess and sentenced to death. He has lived
daily in fear not knowing when and at what time he would be executed. This has
made him to develop high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions.
He has been moved from Kaduna prison, Port Harcourt Prison, Enugu Prison, Kebbi
Prison and now Suleja Prison.
7. ABU DENNIS ULUEBEKA; Male, He is 89
years old and has been on death row for 16 years now. He was convicted and
sentenced to death by hanging. He has serious medical condition, His medical
report was attached to the Court processes filed in Court. He is currently
being held at Kikiri prison Lagos State Nigeria. He has serious health
challenges.
8. MATTHEW ISABU; Male and has
been on death row in Kiriki prison for about 17 years now. He had a flight with
his colleague and was court-martialed and subsequently sentenced to death. He
has serious health
challenges.
9.
CELESTINE
EGBUNUCHE; Male and is the oldest Nigerian on death row, He
is 101 years old and has been on death row for more than 18 years . He is on death row with his son a 42
year old Man by the name Paul Egbunuche. Both of them were convicted on a
trumped up charge of kidnapping in a matter emanating from land tussle. They
both have serious health challenges.
PARTICULARS
OF PENDING CASES AT ECOWAS COURT
1.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
OZIOMA AZORYEME V Federal Republic of
Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/47/18.
2.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
DANIEL AKAKA V Federal Republic of
Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/44/18.
3.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
MARY BAHAGO V Federal Republic of
Nigeria, With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/45/18.
4.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
OLANREWAJU AKOGWU V Federal Republic of
Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/46/18.
5.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
IFEANYI CHUKWU AKOIBI V Federal Republic
of Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/05/19
6.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of IBRAHIM FARI SHAFIU V Federal Republic of
Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/06/19
7.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
MATTHEW ISABU V Federal Republic of
Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/29/18
8.
The Incorporated Trustees of Centre
for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of
ABU DENNIS ULUEBEKA V Federal Republic
of Nigeria. With Suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/42/18
9.
The
Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Peace and Conflict Mgt in Africa and
Rethink Africa Foundation on behalf of CELESTINE
EGBUNUCHE V Federal Republic of Nigeria. With Suit No
ECW/CCJ/APP/08/19
FOR
PARTNERSHIP / SPONSORSHIP / FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Kindly
call the Executive Secretary Directly or send a mail to centreforpeaceinafrica@gmail.com
or you can donate online https://centreforpeace.org/donate-now/
“We
make a living by what we get, But we make a life by what we give” Winston
Churchill
Be
a part of this life transformation project.
Thanks
Mrs. Abosede Ajare
Executive Secretary/ Board Member
+2347064979734
www.centreforpeace.org
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