PRESS
RELEASE ON THE STATE PARDON OF MR. CELESTINE EGBUNUCHE
THE OLDEST PRISONER ON DEATH ROW IN NIGERIA.
Centre
for Peace and Conflict Management in Africa (CPMCM) and Rethink Africa
Foundation (RAF) welcomes
the release of the
centenarian and Nigeria’s oldest prisoner, Pa Celestine Egbohuche, who had been
at the confines of Enugu Maximum Prison for over 19 years.
The centenarian will clock 101 by August 4, 2019. He hails from Amachara-Owerre, Akokwa in the Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, and was condemned to death along with his son, Paul, and another relation, who is now 87 years old
We at Centre for Peace wish to express our deepest joy for the release
of Mr. Celestine. He was one of those whose case we took up years back and we subsequently
filed a case on his behalf at the ECOWAS Court.
We are thus happy that upon been served with our Court papers and
numerous other pressures the State government pardoned him.
This is obviously a welcomed development and we urge other states to emulate
this good gesture.
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 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. The Judgement is available on
request.
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
+2347064979734
www.centreforpeace.org
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