On this date, May 4, 2020, a Nigerian
court sentenced a man to death in the country’s first ever virtual ruling
during a five-week coronavirus lockdown. Despite the COVID-19 crisis, the Nigerian Court
did not give any excuse and went to work to carry out the death sentence.
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BREAKING: The Lagos State Judiciary today held its first
ever virtual court proceedings delivering a judgment in a murder and stealing
trial involving Olalekan Hameed. The court session, for the charge marked
ID/9006C/2019, held online via a video app & was joined by all parties.
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COVID-19: Man Sentenced To Death
In Nigeria’s First Virtual Ruling
6th May 2020 Coronavirus Africa
6th May 2020 Coronavirus Africa
A Nigerian court sentenced a man to death in the
country’s first ever virtual ruling during a five-week coronavirus lockdown.
Lagos judge Mojisola Dada on Monday ordered death
by hanging for Olalekan Hameed, a driver, over the 2018 murder of 76-year-old
Jolasun Okunsanya, the mother of his boss.
“This is the virtual judgement of the
court,” she said.
It was not immediately clear if Hameed would
appeal.
Under Nigerian law, state governors have to approve
death sentences before they can be carried out.
Local and international rights bodies have repeatedly called on Nigerian authorities to expunge the death sentence.
“This spike in death sentences puts Nigeria at odds
with the global trend towards abolition of the death penalty,” Osai Ojigho
Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, told AFP.
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A court in Nigeria
sentenced a man to death in its first ever virtual conviction. (Mr_Jagss/Twitter)
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Charges
“As of today, many more countries have abolished
the death penalty in law or in practice. Nigeria must not be different,” he
said.
Hameed was arraigned in March last year on a
two-count charge of murder and stealing. He pleaded not guilty.
On Monday, all the parties to the case, including
the accused, lawyers, witnesses and journalists participated in the session
remotely from different locations via the Zoom application.
The new coronavirus has so far infected 2 802 and
claimed 93 lives in Nigeria.
The bulk of the infections and fatalities occurred
in Lagos and the nation’s capital Abuja, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari
to impose a five-week lockdown on both cities.
The lockdown was relaxed on Monday to enable residents
return to work but with strict instructions to comply with all restrictions and
safety rules, including the mandatory wearing of face masks and social
distancing.
Buhari has also called for speedy trial of cases as
well as the decongestion of prisons and detention centres to prevent the spread
of the coronavirus.
He said 52 226 of the 74 127 prisoners in the
country were awaiting trial.
INTERNET SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/VictimsFamiliesForTheDeathPenalty/posts/2767241233397825
..... ….. https://www.newzimbabwe.com/covid-19-man-sentenced-to-death-in-nigerias-first-virtual-ruling/
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God
takes no pleasure in the death of sinners, so as to delight simply in their
death; rather, he delights to magnify his justice by inflicting the punishment
which their iniquities have deserved. A righteous judge who takes no pleasure
in condemning a criminal, may yet justly command him to be executed so that law
and justice may be satisfied, even though it is in his power to procure him a
reprieve. – George Whitefield, Letter to Wesley, Bethesda in
Georgia, Dec. 24, 1740
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