Thailand Jailed 207 Nigerians For Drug Offences

[george]

Thailand jailed 207 Nigerians for drug offences in three years

ABUJA, Nigeria: -- The Federal Government yesterday disclosed that a total 207 Nigerians were convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 40-year jail term and a maximum of life imprisonment by Thailand’s court between 1990 and 1992 over drug-related offences.

But the convicts, some of who had spent 15 years in Thailand’s prisons before they were repatriated to Nigeria in March 2003 are presently being considered for this year presidential pardon.

By virtue of section 175 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, "the president may grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by an Act of the National Assembly a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions".

But the pardon is usually based on the recommendation of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy and the advice of the Council of State.

Already, the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy headed by the Federation Attorney-General, Chief Adebayo Christopher Ojo (SAN) had begun a tour round all the 41 prison formations in the country with a view to determining who should make the list for the 2005 presidential pardon.

The comprehensive list of the drug convicts prepared by the Comptroller General of Prisons serves as one of the several working tools for the high-powered advisory committee on prerogative of mercy.

The list indicated that of the 207 drug convicts repatriated by the Thailand government, 15 of them are presently being remanded in Anambra prison, 13, 14, 21, 32, 22, 8, 20, 12 and 51 are kept in Imo, Enugu, Niger, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Abia, Rivers and Ogun prison formations respectively.

The committee which visited the Kuje Medium Prisons in Abuja yesterday for the purpose of interviewing inmates considered to merit amnesty and collating their names for recommendation to President Olusegun Obasanjo promised to plead for nine of the prison inmates, eight of which were repatriated Nigerian drug convicts.

They include Olanrewaju Lateef Kasumu, Suleiman Musau, Valentine Che Ngwa (alias Steve Uche), Yacoubu Zakari, Michael Olumuyiwa George and Maurice Fynn. Others are Godwin Chukwuemeka and Kenneth Maduike.

The promise followed the confession by the convicts that they had learnt their lessons in a hard way and that they would use the remaining of their lifetime to engage in legal and useful activities.

All the convicts repatriated from Thailand spoke good English while they were being interviewed by the committee members on why they felt that they should be granted the presidential pardon.

--vanguardngr.com 2005-09-04

[Khutan]

With the penalties for drug offences in Thailand, I am amazed anyone would do such a stupid thing as that.

[ovenman]

ABUJA, Nigeria: -- The Federal Government yesterday disclosed that a total 207 Nigerians were convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 40-year jail term and a maximum of life imprisonment by Thailand’s court between 1990 and 1992 over drug-related offences

I wonder if it will take the Nigerian gvernment another fifteen years before they get to looking at the statistics for the year 2005?

[Rj 81]

While I was in Bangkok I seen a program on the BBC about foreigners locked up in Thailand. It showed some of the Nigerians, I felt a bit sorry for them. They were locked up in consolitary confinement. Most of them where drug smuggling to make money for there family's back home, although there were some genuine bad lads, I got the impression alot of them were doing it as a last resort.

Rj

[sriracha john]

ABUJA, Nigeria: -- The Federal Government yesterday disclosed that a total 207 Nigerians were convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 40-year jail term and a maximum of life imprisonment by Thailand’s court between 1990 and 1992 over drug-related offences

I wonder if it will take the Nigerian gvernment another fifteen years before they get to looking at the statistics for the year 2005?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe the years mentioned were the years that these particular 207 guys were tried in Thailand and convicted. They all started serving their sentences during those years... which is why, 15 years later, they were sent back to Nigeria for the remainder of their sentences. I agree that it's a rather confusingly written article.

A couple of oddities worth considering.... is tha sheesh, 207 in 2 years seems like an awful lot remembering that all of them were guilty of long sentence-inducing offenses (40 years to life).

Also, the "Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy"???

what kind of ludicrous, cockamamie organizational name is that??

The guys that did get busted during those years are probably thankful they didn't commit their offenses in 2003.... and end up dead like the other 2,500 "drug dealers"...

[sunreader]

They'd of only got community service in the UK.

[deus ex machina]

ABUJA, Nigeria: -- The Federal Government yesterday disclosed that a total 207 Nigerians were convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 40-year jail term and a maximum of life imprisonment by Thailand’s court between 1990 and 1992 over drug-related offences

I wonder if it will take the Nigerian gvernment another fifteen years before they get to looking at the statistics for the year 2005?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe the years mentioned were the years that these particular 207 guys were tried in Thailand and convicted. They all started serving their sentences during those years... which is why, 15 years later, they were sent back to Nigeria for the remainder of their sentences. I agree that it's a rather confusingly written article.

A couple of oddities worth considering.... is tha sheesh, 207 in 2 years seems like an awful lot remembering that all of them were guilty of long sentence-inducing offenses (40 years to life).

Also, the "Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy"???

what kind of ludicrous, cockamamie organizational name is that??

The guys that did get busted during those years are probably thankful they didn't commit their offenses in 2003.... and end up dead like the other 2,500 "drug dealers"...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is interesting to note that it appears a pardon for these gentlemen will be conditional upon expressions of devout contrition and a promise to devote themselves upon release to good works. Not sure how this could be guaranteed particularly when one takes into account the legendary and well deserved reputation for deception Nigerians have earned worldwide.I understand the only reliable indication they may be telling the truth is when their heads fall off.Empirical evidence suggests otherwise.however.

[pedro01]

They'd of only got community service in the UK.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And look how many people regularly take drugs there....

[Maestro]

They'd of only got community service in the UK.

of ???

[chonabot]

They'd of only got community service in the UK.

of ???

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Must be an English teacher in Los.....