A 20-year-old Ghanaian has been sentenced to death in Singapore for trafficking 2.6 kilograms (5.73 pounds) of cannabis, the Straits Times reported Saturday.

The High Court convicted and sentenced Chijioke Stephen Obioha on Tuesday after a 21-day trial held last year, it said.

Under Singapore's tough anti-drug laws, the death penalty is mandatory for anyone caught trafficking more than 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine or 500 grams of cannabis.

The death penalty is carried out by hanging.

Narcotics officers arrested Obioha in April 2007 following a surveillance operation. He had come to Singapore in 2005 to try out for a football club, the report said.

He was not hired but remained in the city-state working as a middle man for electronics goods dealers. His immigration pass expired in January 2007.

Human rights groups have strongly urged Singapore to abolish the death penalty, but the government maintains that it plays a key role in keeping crime down and is a strong deterrent to organised crime gangs.

In December 2004 Singapore hanged a 25-year-old Australian drug runner Nguyen Tuong Van, despite appeals for clemency by then Prime Minister John Howard.

The High Court convicted and sentenced Chijioke Stephen Obioha on Tuesday after a 21-day trial held last year, it said.

adebisi1:

A 20-year-old Ghanaian has been sentenced to death in Singapore for trafficking 2.6 kilograms (5.73 pounds) of cannabis, the Straits Times reported Saturday.

The High Court convicted and sentenced Chijioke Stephen Obioha on Tuesday after a 21-day trial held last year, it said.

A Ghanaian, or a Gha[b]nigerian[/b]?   

I have no sympathy for drug traffickers - let his neck be stretched, I hope his neck doesn't break when the trapdoor's operated, and he strangles to death.

Death peddlars don't deserve to live. 

The original poster is in Nigeria, he knows that it is not a Ghanaian name, he is more likely trying to hide the fact that he is taking a swipe at Igbos in posting the story.

Death sentence for smuggling Cannabis!!!!! Thats really harsh.

As much as I like Singapore, this issue of death sentence with DRUGS is a big concern.

I would expect a progressive country to remove death sentence as punishment for 'drug-trafficking'

Death sentence has never STOPPED ANY crime in HUMAN history.

Death peddlars don't deserve to live.

I am appalled at your write-up. You live in UK and abhor such feeling is shocking!

Landis, sorry you feel this way.
Yes, I live in the UK, but I don't see what that has to do with the way I feel.
I'd feel the same way, regardless of where I lived.

My sister works with children whos lives have been destroyed by drugs.
Children who are sold drugs outside their school gates.
Children as young as 12.
I have seen some of these kids when I've visited her at work, and the sight of them will bring tears to the eyes of all but the most hard-hearted of men.
Drug dealers do not care whos lives are destroyed - as long as they peddle their wares, any customer's fair game.

You probably don't have kids, if heaven forbid, some filthy drug dealer even attempted to sell drugs to your child, I would imagine you'd see things differently.

I also used to work with a young lady who'd had a drug dependency from before she was born, because her mother was a user.
It took her most of her early years to get off the stuff she was on - she was innocent, she didn't ask to contract drug dependency from her mother.

I still stand by my words - drug traffickers don't deserve to live.
It may not deter them - as you say, but at least, it cuts the numbers down.

If even 1 drug trafficker is taken off the streets out of a 1,000, that's enough for me.
Singapore's a lovely country, but their zero-tolerance to drugs is well known.
Knowing this, why would any sane person attempt to traffic drugs there?

In a way, a drug pusher's worse than an armed robber, and should be treated as such.

The convict is obviously a Nigerian holding (most likely illegally) a Ghanaian passport. I suspect Ghanaians would like to have their own pound of flesh for this international embarrassment.

Pennywise:

The convict is obviously a Nigerian holding (most likely illegally) a Ghanaian passport. I suspect Ghanaians would like to have their own pound of flesh for this international embarrassment.

there you go. The guy is Ghanian. Thats where it stop!

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/afp/20090103/tap-singapore-crime-drugs-ghana-06f3cb7.html

Yes, I live in the UK, but I don't see what that has to do with the way I feel.
I'd feel the same way, regardless of where I lived.

UK like most EU stop 'death sentence' because:

1. No state has right to take LIFE of another person

2. Crime can be controlled by counselling, correcting and not simplying killing wishing the crime will just disappear.

If you LIVE in place for long, you abide in their believes slowly.

As for those kids taken drugs; it is failure of society, parenting, community which is same for the fellow selling drugs.

I dont make case for drug people but I DO NOT ACCEPT death sentence is the solution for any CRIME.

No worries, Landis.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

What makes people to sell drugs ?
What makes people to take drugs ?

Most often the law avoids the real issue and seeks to stamp out shadows .

I am for example waiting eagerly for the day when a convicted armed robber would in Nigeria question the right of the law to pass any judgment on him, after proving without any doubt that all in charge of the law are clean . It would be an epoch event I am sure.

Let us not judge carelessly.

gbam!