Amnesty International, the NBA HRI and Nigerian NGOs have been campaigning for the release of Patrick Okoroafor since May 2008. On 16 June 2009 Amnesty International members took part in a global day of action for Patrick Okoroafor.
Watch the film at: {youtubejw}v_h0c29fHMY{/youtubejw}
Mr. Okoroafor has already served 14 years in prison. Owing to the amount of time that he has already spent in prison and on death row, and violations of his right to a fair trial within a reasonable time before an independent and impartial tribunal, Amnesty International is calling upon His Excellency Ikedi Ohakim to release Mr. Okoroafor from prison immediately.
Patrick Okoroafor was fourteen years old when he was arrested in May 1995. In 1997, Patrick and six others were sentenced to death for robbery by the Imo State Robbery and Firearms Tribunal. Patrick did not have the right to appeal and was reportedly tortured while in police detention. Patrick Okoroafor and one of his codefendants, Chidiebere Onuoha, who was fifteen at the time of arrest, petitioned the Military Administrator of Imo State for clemency on grounds of age. The Military Administrator confirmed the death sentences of the six codefendants on 18 July 1997 and commuted Okoroafor’s sentence to life imprisonment. On 31 July 1997, the six men were publicly shot to death. Onuoha was seventeen years old when he was executed. In 2001, Patrick Okoroafor's sentence of death was pronounced “illegal, null and void” and commuted to detention "during the pleasure of the Governor of Imo State" by Imo State High Court. In 2008 his sentence was altered to life imprisonment at the recommendation of the Imo State Prerogative of Mercy Committee. On Friday 29 May 2009, the governor of Imo state commuted Patrick's sentence from life imprisonment to 10 years. However, according to Imo State government, the ten year sentence commenced on 29 May 2009, and does not take into account the 14 years Patrick had already spent in prison. Commutation of a sentence would ordinarily take into account time already spent in detention, including pretrial detention. Patrick remains in detention in Aba prison, Abia state.
Recently, the Imo state government indicated they were reluctant to release Patrick Okoroafor because they believe he was involved in the killing of 11 year old Ikechukwu Okonkwo in Otokoto Hotel, (commonly referred to as the Otokoto murder). A review of the evidence reveals that Patrick Okoroafor could not have been involved in the death of Ikechuk-wu Okonkwo. Patrick Okoroafor and his co-accused were arrested in May 1995, and were accused of robbery (N5500). The murder of Ikechukwu Okonkwo and the subsequent riots, took place in September 1996 - over one year after the arrest of Patrick and his co-accused, who were all in detention at that time.
Patrick on-line:
Please act to FREE PATRICK OKOROAFOR!
http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/free-patrick-okoroafor
See the film of Keziah Jones at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHGYEtOzK-g.
See photo galleries at http://www.protectthehuman.com and http://www.flickr.com/photos/7855337@N02/tags/patrickokoroafor/.
See video at http://www.tiscali.co.uk/video/16394/news/Patrick-Okoroafor-protest-at-Nigerian-High-Commission/.
See photos of AI Canada at http://www.flickr.com/photos/amnestyinternationaltoronto/sets/72157621749466620/
See pictures of AI BF at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26987&id=1281345701&saved
See AI France's ebook at http://ebook-personnesendanger.amnesty.fr/index.php?post/2009/02/18/Patrick-Okoroafor
See photos from AI France at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7427486@N03/sets/72157619462108515/comments/.
Web pages dedicated to Patrick and activities related to the campaign:
http://patrickokoroafor.tumblr.com/
http://www.protectthehuman.com/galleries/free-patrick-okoroafor-global-mobilization
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