Crime News
Saudi Arabia Defends Execution Of Kudirat Adesola Afolabi In Official Response To Nigeria
Saudi Arabia Defends Execution Of Kudirat Adesola Afolabi In Official Response To Nigeria
Saudi Arabian embassy yesterday said it followed all legal and judicial procedures before implementing the death sentence on a Nigerian woman, Kudirat Adesola Afolabi.
It also clarified that the executed lady was accorded every legal right before the death sentence was carried out on her.
It said all accused persons subjected to the legal process in Saudi courts of law are allowed access to lawyers to litigate for them.
The embassy made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja against the backdrop of protest by the Federal Government on the execution of the woman.
The statement said:
“With reference to the statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, as published on the cover page of “The Nation” newspaper of 3/4/2019, titled “Fed Govt kicks as Saudi Arabia executes Nigerian,” the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Abuja, clarifies as follows:
“The embassy affirms that all legal and judicial procedures were followed regarding the accused person and she was accorded every legal right before the death sentence was carried out on her.
“All accused persons subjected to the legal process in Saudi courts of law are allowed access to lawyers to litigate on their behalf, and the kingdom avails itself the responsibility to provide lawyers for any persons that have no financial ability to do so.
“All convicted persons on whom the death penalty has been carried out in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have gone through trials characterized by the legal guarantee of justice to their cases because the kingdom’s judicial system is established on objectivity and is dependent, in terms of its rules and regulations, on the Islamic Law, which has always restored rights to their owners and done justice to the victims. This is what the kingdom has always affirmed.”
The embassy insisted that its judicial system was always painstaking.
“The death sentence is only carried out in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after all proofs and legal evidence have been exhausted regarding the accused, and the process goes through various legal stages until the allegations against the detained persons have been proven beyond reasonable doubt.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is always in consultation with foreign embassies and consulates in the kingdom, of which are the Nigerian Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate General in Jeddah, and it provides them with all facilitations and information and allows their staff to visit their nationals that are detained vis-à-vis a variety of charges as are related to the different stages of their detention and prosecution, and this is allowed every time of their request through normal channels.
“It is well-known for all those interested in travelling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that the penalty for drug trafficking is the death sentence and the said sentence is applied on all persons convicted without any exceptions, as long as the evidence is established against them, and this is conveyed to every person prior to his trip to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not neglect the enforcement of penalties in terms of matters of drug trafficking and is determined to apply the law on any person against whom evidence is established in order to combat drug trafficking and protect its citizens from this dangerous menace.”
Princess Kehinde Aderemi
April 6, 2019 at 7:21 AM
Nigerian should stop going there period. It is not holy land, It is bloody land fools
Patoya Michael
April 6, 2019 at 7:23 AM
What are you people still doing there
kirsty ade
April 6, 2019 at 10:24 PM
thank you , the very same question i ask, arabs dont like black africans, if they behead and execute their own fellow arab on their so called holy day friday who is anyone else
Danti
April 6, 2019 at 9:26 AM
Why Americans who committed same offense(s) in Saudi Arabia are not butchered? I know of American lady who committed murder in Saudi Arabia a decade ago and was not sentenced. Diplomatically, who regards Nigeria and other minnow countries?
Amanda
April 7, 2019 at 12:14 AM
Is what I blamed Saudi for. Not the crime itself. This is very unfair. Humans are the same regardless of citizenship status. Sad. Nigeria and Nigerias are too be blame. This has nothing to do with Holly places. This is about govt
Fifelomo
April 6, 2019 at 10:35 AM
If you can’t keep to their rules and regulations why visit the land? Rip woman
Laughing Lion
April 6, 2019 at 11:14 AM
It will be ok for anyone travelling to Saudi for genuine business. I think death penalty is too harsh for this kind of offence. But must they do drugs? Nigeria image has lost attraction all over. The FGN should send delegates to Saudi until agreement is reached to release the others; if not they will kill all of them one by one.
iron bar
April 6, 2019 at 11:33 AM
our mumu never do..look at the arabs perpetrating crimes in abuja and kano.one caught withnhuge million dollars at azikiwe airport..shebi we have sharia law in the north..we are valueless abroad and thats why they treat us like animals.even bubu is in jordan or so as we speak.nonsense
Amanda
April 6, 2019 at 2:15 PM
see the first two comments?. If you cant do the time dont do the crime. If nigeria implement strict law like this corruption would vanish overnight. I dont understand nigerians. You want solution to nigeria’s problem, principla of which is corruption. When solution presents itself, you dont want that solution anymore.
You think Saudi is like you?. Even America will send you to jail for a long time and your family in nigeria will lose hope of seeing you again while you are alive somewhere they can not reach you. Yoruba adage says “omo eniku o san ju omo eni nu lo”
Stop allowing sentiment to cloud your judgement. You should ask why she commited crime knowing too well the risks attached. She na today Saudi has been beheading drug barons? . If you wan better nija, this is the type of punishment you should advocate for looters in nija. You will see no one would want to be in politics anymore
kirsty ade
April 6, 2019 at 10:19 PM
a bloody land rather than a holy land, i can’t understand why Africans continue to go there when it is so obvious Arabs are notoriously unrepentant and with bloody hands .. worst till they execute on their so called holy day Friday… blood shall never cease form their hands .. in Africa alone north Africans e.g morocco and Libya dont like or receive black Africa , in reality they really arent Africans they migrated form Arabia and other Arab nations.. nigerians should stay in heir countries may those that persecuted and executed her never know peace of paradise.. what a country
kirsty ade
April 6, 2019 at 10:21 PM
a bloody land rather than a holy land i can’t understand why Africans continue to go there. so obvious Arabs are notoriously unrepentant and with bloody hands .. worst till they execute on their so called holy day Friday… blood shall never cease from their hands .. in Africa alone north Africans e.g morocco and Libya dont like or receive black Africa they really arent Africans they migrated form Arabia and other Arab nations.. Nigerians should stay in their country may those that persecuted and executed her never know peace of paradise.. what a country
uzoma
April 7, 2019 at 1:08 AM
@Amanda, you made a very good comment. I wholly agree with you on the way to stop corruption in Nigeria. I remember reading that during the short reign of major General Agui Ironsi. his administration made embezzlement of public funds, rape, and homo sexuality punishable by death; but when general Gowon took over the law was removed and that was the beginning of massive corruption and looting of public funds in Nigeria. It is unfortunate.
Amanda
April 7, 2019 at 10:38 PM
Thank you very much for this. Many Don’t think like you do.
RAA
April 7, 2019 at 1:32 AM
Lets address the issues in Africa being a very corrupt continent with all our Leaders stuffing their pockets making it difficult for an ordinary man to survive I dont condone Drug Trafficking but if all our resources are put into good course There will be no need to seek greener pastures in other land talk less of carrying drugs Its all written black and white for any one visiting their country carrying drugs what will happen other great nations defend their citizens how will our Leaders defend us when they are busy stuffing their pockets There’s killing in Nigeria too we just pretend to turn a blind eyes .Clean your house before talking of others
Rosy
April 9, 2019 at 12:50 PM
i have said it times without number. Nigerians should stay in their country and hustle well. Forget other countries.
Senatorinwang
April 13, 2019 at 5:26 AM
No crime, no death. Even when u know the punishment is DEATH, u still go ahead to test the Saudis… Hmmmmmm they are not like Nigeria. Others are just talking. The solution is to tell our people here to STOP DRUG BUSINESS. Is this the only way to get rich? Or is Saudi Arabia the only country u can go to? I rest my case…. No crime, no deaths.. Period
Sir Rockie
April 15, 2019 at 6:30 AM
There are million of Nigerians with legal residence status all over the world including Saudi. I know of many and I am one of such Nigerians. I work and send money home, helping to develop my country Nigeria. I have never been arrested or intimidated by anybody because I respect the laws of my host country and the citizens know that I am a responsible man. I work hard daily knowing how the economic situation is back home.
What trying to say here is that self discipline and integrity matters a lot. This get- rich-by all means mentality does not help anybody.It is called GREED and the consequence is always demeaning and shameful.
Do not leave Nigeria with the intention of doing drug or any other illegal business.
If you must leave, have good intentions and once you arrived your destination, remain focused and work hard.
Ade
April 15, 2019 at 4:19 PM
I so much love ur response.