Crime News
UNIBEN Graduate Arrested For Drug Trafficking In Singapore In 2008 For Execution On November 18
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November 12, 2016 – UNIBEN Graduate Arrested For Drug Trafficking In Singapore In 2008 For Execution On November 18 2016
Singapore has said that on November 18 it would execute a Nigerian, Chijioke Obioha, who was convicted for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking on December 30, 2008.
The execution date, according to a statement by Amnesty International, has been communicated to Obioha’s family. On April 9, 2007, Obioha was found in possession of more than 2.6 kilograms of cannabis, surpassing the statutory amount of 500 grams that under Singapore law triggers the automatic presumption of trafficking.
Also in his possession were keys to a room containing additional prohibited substances, leading the authorities to presume him guilty of possession and knowledge of the drugs. Obioha’s appeal against his conviction and sentence was rejected in August 2010.
Maintaining his innocence of the crime, he initially refused to make use of his right to resentencing which amendments to Singapore’s mandatory’s death penalty laws made in 2013 allowed for.
In Singapore, when there is a presumption of drug possession and trafficking, the burden of proof shifts to the defendant. This, according to Amnesty International, is a violation of fair trial rights, specifically the presumption of innocence.
After the rejection of his clemency appeal in April 2015, his execution was set for May 15, 2015. It was stayed a day earlier to allow him apply for resentencing.
His family was only informed on October 25, 2016 that he had resolved to withdraw his application for resentencing earlier in the year, following legal advice that he would not qualify as “courier” under the amended laws.
Consequently, the Court of Appeal lifted the stay of execution with effect from October 24, resulting in the execution date e set for November 18. Obioha appealed once again for clemency for the President, who has the power to commute his death sentence.
Amnesty International statement reads in part: “Chijioke Stephen Obioha graduated in Industrial Chemistry from Benin University in Nigeria.
He moved to Singapore in 2005, seeking to join a football club. His family members, who currently live in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, have been unable to travel to visit and had limited ability to assist him.
Throughout the duration of the proceedings, they have received sporadic and often delayed updates, including when a legal representative was removed from the case.
Bok
November 12, 2016 at 7:04 AM
SORRY MY BRA, ITS SAD TO SEE AND HEAR THIS
RAPO
November 12, 2016 at 4:17 PM
MUMU FROM THE ****!!!! DISGRACE TO NIGERIA!!!! STILL MORE WOULD STILL GO TO BE EXECUTED BECAUSE WHEN THEY MENTION MONEY THESE CRIMINALS BECOME SENSELESS… MUMU GOATS.
Big Aunty Koks
November 12, 2016 at 7:36 AM
The pain of the other execution is still raw and now this!!
Naija do more to impart true values to our youths for these waste of young lives is becoming unbearable.
fifelomo
November 12, 2016 at 8:00 AM
A pity case. Hmmm am speechless.
sola olaniyi
November 12, 2016 at 9:44 AM
that’s the end of the road for him to go meet his maker
spayor
November 12, 2016 at 12:14 PM
Na wa o…its painful…
Keeping it real
November 12, 2016 at 12:57 PM
God have mercy on this young man and save him from this terrible situation.
I
November 12, 2016 at 3:29 PM
My advise, stay away from drugs. At the end of the day, the motivation for drug trafficking which is money may never be enjoyed by the Trafficker as they end up being executed. Asian countries have zero tolerance for drug pushers especially if they are from Nigeria. May God intervene
Jilo
November 13, 2016 at 7:17 PM
Folks, I’m not supporting this guy for possessing drugs in a Country where there is a zero tolerance on drug but there is no doubt that the Singapore authority is prejudice about this case.
There is something wrong about those handling this guy case that is why I said they were prejudice. They caught him with the drug but the way they presented the case was possession with intend to distribute this drug. They allow people to possess 500 grams of cannabis according to this report but if that is little bit over 500grams then you can be charged with distribution of drugs and sentenced to death. That is not fair.
In the United States people are charged with possession of drugs and sentence to jail but where the problem lies is if charging people with intent to distribute that is where this guy got implicated.
So, you can be killed if you have cannabis weighing just 2g over the recommended dose.
I don’t think this guy must be killed for this but because of how bias the Indonesian people felt towards Nigeria, they believe anybody from Nigeria is a potential drug dealer and that is unjust. They have not proved beyond that the guy had intension to distribute drugs. If this guy is an hemp smoker and want to use it for himself, there is a tendency to implicate this guy for drug possession just because he is a Nigerian.
In the first place this guy should not have even play with drug not to talk of possessing it because he knew the kind of environment he lived in. I have advised most of you guys to change your orientation about going to South East Asia Countries. They are adamant and damn serious about death for drugs. Apart from this it seems they have strong hatred for blacks esp from Nigeria.