A Nigerian, Michael Titus Igweh is facing imminent execution in Indonesia for drug offence.
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, Fairfax Media reported.
“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.”
It is understood the Nigerian and Pakistani embassies have now been notified that their nationals are among those to be killed.
Indonesian Attorney-General Muhammad Prasetyo reiterated on Friday the executions would be “soon” and would include Indonesians and possibly a woman. Mr Prasetyo had earlier said prisoners from Nigeria and Zimbabwe would be among those targeted.
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.
“It is very dangerous to carry out executions when the legal system is fragile and riddled with corruption, error, manipulation and collusion,” Imparsial executive director Al Araf said.
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.”
In April 2015, four Nigerians were executed in the country for drug related offenses.
Fifty -year-old Raheem Agbaje Salami (also known as Jamiu Owolabi Abashin) was allegedly arrested with 5.5kg (12lb) of heroin and originally sentenced, in 1999, to life in prison. His sentence was changed to one of death in 2006.
Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise was convicted and sentenced to death in 2002 for allegedly smuggling a little more than a kilogram of heroin into Indonesia. The 47-year-old’s wife said he had no translator during his trial.
Okwuduli Oyatanze also sentenced to death in 2002 for allegedly attempting to bring 2.5kg of heroin through Jakarta in capsules inside his stomach. He was 41 years old.
Martins Anderson was sentenced to death in 2004 after being found guilty of possessing about 50g (1.8oz) of heroin. The 50-year-old allegedly travelled to Indonesia on a false passport and was thought to be Ghanian.
Daniel Enemuo and Solomon Chibuike Okafor were also executed in January 2015 for drug related offences.
