First time ever, a Nigerian convict narrowly escapes death sentence in Singapore

A Nigerian, Adili Ejike has narrowly escaped a death sentence issued by Singapore’s Supreme Court after being convicted for alleged possession of illicit drugs.

The convict who was also released from prison after his arrest in November 2011 is said to be the first Nigerian to ever escape a death penalty for drug related offences in the history of Singapore.

It was learnt that unknown to Ejike, his childhood friend in Nigeria gave him the bag that contained the drugs to be delivered to someone in Singapore.

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In a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr Adili Chibuike Ejike was earlier sentenced to death for importing nearly two-kilogramme of methamphetamine, before he was granted an acquittal in May 2019 by Singapore’s Supreme Court with no outstanding charges.

In another statement released by the Head of Mission in Singapore, High Commissioner Akinremi Bolaji, Ejike’s freedom from death by hanging by the court made history as the first time such a decision was made in a case involving a Nigerian.

He added that Ejike’s acquittal had been termed a miracle as the prosecution failed to establish that the convict knew that the drug bundles in his suitcase were in his possession.

The High commissioner said Ejike’s case raised an important issue about how drug peddlers had been using unsuspecting people as channels to transport their packages.

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