How Ihejirika’s Death Sentence Was Overturned in Indonesia – Lawyer

Leading Nigerian international law lawyer Emmanuel Ogebe, who is based in the United States, has revealed that the process to free a fellow countryman, Emmanuel Ihejirika, who was sentenced to death in Indonesia on drug charges, began in 2019.

Ogebe says Ihejirika approached him when he visited Indonesia five years ago to contact the Nigerian embassy on his behalf and that of other Nigerian prisoners who were in desperate straits at the time.

The lawyer made this known in a statement made available to our correspondent on Monday, in response to positive messages from Nigerians at home and abroad for his recent legal achievement.

Recall that Nigerians received the news of Ihejirika’s release on Saturday from the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Responding to the message in the statement, Ogebe said for the first time that the Nigerian had been “wrongly” convicted by Indonesia’s Supreme Court “as Emmanuel Ihejirika after 20 years of imprisonment in Indonesia.”

He said he raised the matter after his visit to the Asian country in 2019. He indicated that there were more Nigerian prisoners in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. He called on the federal government to send a diplomatic representative to negotiate their release.

Ogebe, who also revealed that it was 27 years since he escaped the brutal junta of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to the US, said the experience had become a blessing for him.

“Today marks 27 years since I arrived in exile in the US in a marathon escape from the murderous regime of General Abacha, becoming part of the diaspora on the longest day of my life – 31 hours,” he said.

“That unique event enabled me to become Nigeria’s foremost human rights lawyer in the diaspora, which ultimately led to the unprecedented quashing of the death sentence of “Ihejirika” by the Indonesian Supreme Court on drug charges, the relocation of over 25 at-risk Nigerians to the US and millions of dollars in aid to Africa over the past 24 years – including N600 million to Plateau State last year.

“I give all the glory to God for the fulfillment of Genesis 50:20 in my life: ‘What the enemy intended for evil God turned for good, saving many lives.’ This is my life verse.

“That is why I wrote a letter to NIDCOM CEO Abike Dabiri-Erewa, listing other Nigerian nationals we encountered in an Indonesian prison while visiting a client.”

However, he stated that Ihejirika was captured in Indonesia after he was “unfortunately trafficked by drug cartels with a false passport” while his asylum application had not been approved by the United Nations.

The activist lawyer also said his client’s unique asylum claim was crucial to establishing his true identity and alibi, and that he was not a serial drug dealer as alleged.

He added: “While we work on his recovery and rehabilitation, we ask for privacy from the media at this time.”

According to the international constitutional lawyer, a letter was written to Dabiri-Erewa about other Nigerians who ended up in the Indonesian prison system.

He said: “This list is old and was compiled by one of our Australian volunteers who visited them. Apart from my client number one on the list who I repatriated from Jarkarta on Christmas Eve, I do not know the status of the others. I hope you can use your good offices to find out their status.

“Following our unprecedented victory at the Indonesian Supreme Court and recent developments in that country’s law, I believe there is hope for the restoration of the lives of more of our misled citizens in this tragic situation,” the statement said.

“I would like to urge a visiting delegation to Indonesia for this purpose, as countries with high-level diplomatic involvement and presence on the ground tend to achieve breakthroughs, especially with a new government elected in Indonesia.”

Ogebe wrote in the letter to the NiDOCM boss that “there are 19 Nigerians in this prison and two are very sick. Now prisoners are only allowed out of their cells for five to fifteen minutes a day, which confirms the information I sent you on February 15.”

“Your citizens have entrusted me with the task of conveying their cry for help to you. When human lives are at stake, I am obligated to leave no stone unturned. I would be very grateful if your office would acknowledge receipt of my email and keep me informed of the progress,” he added.