The Federal Government, on Monday, summoned the
Indonesian Ambassador, Mr Harry Purwato, over the
country’s planned execution of more Nigerians by
firing squad for drug-related offences.
Ambassador 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.
“Your Excellency, I have been asked to summon you
to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to appeal to you to
talk to your government about the proposed
execution of three Nigerians, who are currently on
the death row in your country.
“As you know, your country and Nigeria have a very
robust and excellent relationship and we do not
intend that anything should happen to our
relationship.
“We, in this context, are very aware of the
consequences of drug trafficking in your country,
but we still want to put it on record and we still
want to appeal to you and to your President to
tamper justice with mercy.
“We understand that the three condemned Nigerians
have gone through the judicial processes and their
appeals to the President have been turned down.
“We also understand, particularly, that one of them,
Mr Salami, had been moved to an Island and that
any moment from now, he may be executed.
“We want to appeal to you and through you to your
government that this death sentence that may be
carried out on Mr Salami any moment from now
should be converted to life imprisonment.“
The permanent secretary also appealed to the
Indonesian envoy to fast-track the completion of the
ongoing exchange of prisoners’ negotiation between
the two countries.
According to him, when completed, Nigerians
serving various prison terms in Indonesia will have
the opportunity to serve their sentences in Nigeria.
“I am also to use this occasion, your Excellency, to
appeal to you on the need to quickly complete the
ongoing exchange of prisoners negotiation that we
have with your country.
“We wish that this be completed on time so that our
nationals, who may be caught up there, would have
the opportunity to serve their sentences in Nigeria.
“Some of our nationals are not on death row; they
are in there for some other alleged crimes and we
would wish that those who are willing and who wish
to, would serve their sentences in Nigeria.
“So, it is our wish as a country that we should
complete this process immediately so that our
nationals would avail themselves of that opportunity.
“Ambassador, we want to thank you coming in here
but these are the words that my government has
asked me to convey to you and through you to your
own government.“
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.
He said: “Indonesians attach great importance to
their relations with Nigerians and we also like to
further our excellent relations in things that can be
felt directly by the people of these two countries.
“As you rightly said, permanent secretary, the death
penalty in Indonesia is actually done in transparent,
credible and accountable manner.
“We do apply these executions to those who are
adults and we do not apply to children, pregnant
women or mentally ill persons.
“Executions are done after strict and transparent due
process of law by which also we know that it would
have already passed the district, appellate and
Supreme Courts.“
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 offences to be involved from the
beginning to the end of all cases.
The Federal Government had in January, summoned
the ambassador following the execution of two
Nigerians by firing squad for drug offences.
Preparations are in top gear for the execution by
firing squad of one Raheem Agbaje Salami and two
other Nigerians convicted of drug smuggling.
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