Appeals
On 16 March 2006, the Court of Appeal upheld the sentences issued by the High Court. Singapore President S.R. Nathan later denied Tochi's request for clemency.
On 6 December 2006, CLO (Civil Liberty Organisation, Nigeria) human rights lawyer Princewill Apakpan travelled to Singapore to conduct interviews with the Nigerian embassy in Singapore and to meet Tochi in Changi Prison. His trip was sponsored by a private human rights activist from Germany. Although carrying his legal appointment from Tochi's family to represent Tochi in all matters, Singapore's prison authorities denied him access to visit Tochi. After two weeks, Princewill returned to Nigeria, where he conducted immediate action to force the Nigerian government (which has failed to show any serious concern) to take immediate action on behalf of its national. A lawsuit was issued against Nigeria's attorney general to force actions. This was delayed by the Christmas and New Year holiday season. Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo issued an official appeal only 48 hours prior to the scheduled execution.
Some activists, maintaining that Tochi was innocent, announced a hunger strike in protest against the execution, beginning at 7am on 25 January 2007, at Singapore's Speaker's Corner, moving to outside Changi Prison 12 hours later, and continuing until the execution of Tochi at the prison before dawn on the next day.
Read more about this topic: Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi
Famous quotes containing the word appeals:
“Whatever appeals to the imagination, by transcending the ordinary limits of human ability, wonderfully encourages and liberates us.”
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