Michael Titus Igweh, a Nigerian man facing imminent execution in Indonesia tearfully told a court that police electrocuted his genitals to force him to confess to possessing heroin. Igweh is among several prisoners on death row whom lawyers and human rights groups are frantically lobbying to save from the firing squad amid claims they were tortured and their legal cases riddled with corruption, errors and miscarriages of justice. "I was constantly beaten, and my genitals electrocuted until I was helpless," the clothes importer, who was sentenced to death in 2003 for possessing 5.8 kilograms of heroin, told the Tangerang District Court in May. "In fact, I was threatened to be shot." Sources have told Fairfax Media the third wave of executions in Indonesia could be held within days. It is understood the Nigerian and Pakistani embassies have now been notified that their nationals are among those to be killed. Indonesian human rights group Imparsial said an anti-death penalty coalition would present the staff of Indonesian President Joko Widodo with a list of about seven death row prisoners who had faced unfair trials and miscarriages of justice. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court last week rejected an application for a case review into the case of Mr Igweh, the Nigerian clothes importer who claimed his genitals had been electrocuted.
His lawyer, Sitor Situmorang, told Fairfax Media that Supreme Court judges should try cases based on the law and not to achieve popularity or appear tough. "We accepted Michael's case because we saw it had merit. Out of the many requests from prisoners on Nusakambangan, we only took this," Mr Sitor said. He said Mr Igweh's conviction was based on the testimony of two alleged accomplices, Marlena and Izuchukwu Okoloaja, who died in police custody and could therefore not testify in court. "We believe Marlena and Okoloaja gave Michael's name just so the police would stop torturing them," he said. "They were healthy when they were arrested, they had no history of illness, they all just suddenly died while in police custody. We all know what that means." Fourteen drug offenders were executed in Indonesia last year, including Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, sparking an international backlash. However the Indonesian government insists executions are necessary to combat a so-called drugs emergency. "The public want it to be done soon," Attorney-General Prasetyo said on Friday. "We are getting more informed now and can see how drugs have affected our younger generation. We could just lose a generation."
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Posted: at 25-07-2016 12:36 PM (7 years ago) | Addicted Hero
osarobo62 at 25-07-2016 01:18 PM (7 years ago) (m)
avoid going to these countries when you have questionable business deals or partners. just because it is a country on the map doesn't mean you must go there.
Posted: at 25-07-2016 01:18 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
chopnuckle at 25-07-2016 01:57 PM (7 years ago) (m)
even in Indonesia visa they will warn u of drugs cos is death penalty..at the airport and some areas in public...so what are we now saying?we dont want drugs in our country but if u insist and u are caught this will be ur punishment...u stil go there...am not a party to death sentence but my brother here already knew the consequences before embarking on the journey..pls better news jaare
Posted: at 25-07-2016 01:57 PM (7 years ago) | Newbie
People should stop going to all these wicked and lawless countries, how can they do such a thing to this guy
This man deserve everything he gets in Indonesia..As a matter of fact theyshould do more to him to set an example to other Nigerians that you don't go to other countries and misbehave. The image of Nigeria has been seriously damaged by the like of this man and others abroad because of the quest to get rich overnight. The truth is that 95 percent of the Nigerians abroad are working hard and obeying the laws of their adopted countries, but these idiots that tarnishing our image and I have no sympathy for any of them.....
Posted: at 25-07-2016 03:00 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
dickieponga at 25-07-2016 05:55 PM (7 years ago) (m)
I no trust any igbo man wey dem catch for drugs cos dey will never tell u d truth so dey deserve it... E don tay dem don dey warn una about carrying drugs to countries like dis but una no dey hear...
Posted: at 25-07-2016 05:55 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
FREETHINKER NO COMMENTS FROM YOU!!!! IF ITS YORUBA NOW YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT.YOU HAVE HATRED OVER YOUR FELLOW MAN AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN WHEN GOD SAID LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF WHETHER CHRISTIAN, MOSLEM OR OTHER TRIBES ETC, GOD SAID LOVE THEM ALL BUT YOU COME TO THIS FORUM AND START PREACHING HATE IN ALL YOUR COMMENTS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR,HIDING BEHIND THE FALSE NAME AS FREETHINKER, DYNASTY4ALL ETC THAT IS HOW WITCHES AND WIZARDS OPERATE BY HIDING THEIR TRUE IDENTITY TO DESTROY THEIR FELLOW MAN, YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL BEFORE!!!!!!!! WILL FALL UPON YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Posted: at 25-07-2016 07:08 PM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
kima77same at 25-07-2016 07:20 PM (7 years ago) (m)
Why is he complaining? He heard that, Indonisia don't drug lightly, yet, he want there to fool them. Indonisia is a good place for the good people. But, Indonosia is a deadly country, for the deadly drug pedlers. Even now, some are planning to go there
Posted: at 25-07-2016 07:20 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac