Indonesian court rejects fresh challenge against execution of Nigerian

An Indonesian court has dismissed a legal challenge by a 42-years old Nigerian, Raheem Agbaje-Salami, who is on a death row for drug peddling.

President Joko Widodo has rejected clemency representations from Nigerian authorities. Judge Hendro Puspito of the Administrative Court in East Jakarta said on Monday that the court had no jurisdiction over presidential decisions.

Agbaje-Salami, alias Jamiu Owolabi Abashin from the southern Spanish city of Cordova, was arrested in 1998 for smuggling 5.3 kg of heroin into Surabaya, the capital of East Java province.

He was taken on Wednesday from a prison in East Java to a prison island off the southern coast of Java where he was due to be executed later this month with up to nine other death-row inmates. Salami, along with nine other drug traffickers from Australia, French, Brazil, Ghana and Indonesia, are expected to be executed soon in Nusakambangan island of Central Java.

President Widodo remained tough on the death penalty amid intensive efforts for clemency from Australia, French and Brazil.

Two other Nigerian drug traffickers are also scheduled to be executed this month after requests for presidential clemency were rejected.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government on Monday, again summoned the Indonesian Ambassador, Harry Purwato, over the country’s planned execution of more Nigerians by firing squad for drug-related offences.

Danjuma Sheni, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a meeting with the envoy in Abuja that the death sentences should be converted to life imprisonment.

He told the envoy to speak with his home government to tamper justice with mercy in order not to allow anything to jeopardise the “very robust and excellent relationship“ between Indonesia and Nigeria.

Responding, Purwato acknowledged the robust nature of the relationship between his country and Nigeria, and explained that the trial of the Nigerians was done transparently.

He said foreigners travelling to Indonesia were usually informed in advance that trafficking in narcotics attracted the death penalty.

The envoy said that all the legal processes available to the convicts had been exhausted, adding, however, that he would deliver the Federal Government’s message to his home government.

Purwato explained that the request for clemency by the Nigerians on death row had been rejected. According to him, the Indonesian government usually allows the embassies of nationals on trial for drug-related offenses to be involved from the beginning to the end of all cases.

The Nigerian Government had in January, summoned the ambassador following the execution of two Nigerians by firing squad for drug offences.

(NAN)