it is singapore's law. period. He should have taken his drug to a country where if caught he would get a jail sentence not death. that is sheer madness. still i don't pity him, many people still live in countries that have failed them, many face things u and I can never imagine. Does not justify becoming a drug mule.

Ok say he didn't get caught, he took his drug to the destination safely and he got paid however much. he took his money back to Nigeria to live it up, play the big dude. Mean while some place in the world thesame drug he smuggled is tearing a family apart. Someone's father, mother, bro, sis, child. Do you know how much havoc drug plays on lives? and it's not even the users i feel for its the unfortunate loved one who's beating black and blue for that drug fix, or the mother of a druggie who lives in fear that her son wud break into her house and sell all her possessions. Then there is the emotional loss. Pls don't tell me about no greedy drug dealer. Greedy sod should stick it out like the rest of us, nothing comes for free. You want to eat? you got to work. Even ants work for their food *hisss**

well, its quite unfortunate if that country's law stipulate death sentence _{(i stand being corrected)} on anyone found smuggling drugs; yet the boy still went for it knowing fully well of such. Then he is to blame.

I cant imagine the law of entire country being reverted overnight just to give him some bit of leniency.

I doubt if the Nigerian foreign office can be of help. Singapore has quite a low level for crime, all because their criminal justice system is very strict which tells on their good economy. About this time last year, an Australian (i think) was executed for same drug related offence as againt amnesty pleas from his government and international bodies.

I really feel pity for this young man Tochi, but it seems, this may well be the end of his journey. If really their can be mercy for him, I would join in pleading for a lesser punishment (if he hasn't been executed already, cos i dont know the story much).

If you are flying into Singapore, they actually make announcements in the plane that it is death for the drug pushers; they let you know that you still have a change to go flush the stuff down the loo before you go into their country.

Well, the Federal govt seems to have interest in the guy and that's why they have appealed for clemency to the Singaporean government to reconsider the judgement given to him.
I pity the guy. The worse part here is that even though he did it purposedly he will count the blame on devil, that is "na devil's work". He needs to pray as if he never did that before.
That's my advice for him.

pray my a$$. hang d boy. he know what hes doin. unfortunately, people use religion for all sorts of things including hiding behind it for blatant greed/stupidity.

u should have known whick country ur goin 2. all u should do is google singapore and read about their law and youll be informed

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=68771
President Olusegun Obasanjo has sought the "personal intervention" of the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, in the imminent execution of a Nigerian, Mr. Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi, in Singapore.
The House of Representatives also yesterday at plenary described the death sentence placed on the Nigerian footballer as a political matter noting that President Olusegun Obasanjo must do everything within his power to ensure the boy is not killed by Friday.
In a personal letter to Prime Minister Loong, the President said a Presidential clemency is the only option for saving the life of the 19-year old Nigerian.
He said he was making the request on the basis of the excellent relationship that has existed between both countries.
"It is for the reason of obtaining your kind pardon and clemency for the convicted Nigerian that I write this letter to you, conscious of the excellent relations that exist between our two countries, to earnestly urge you to reconsider the conviction of the Singaporean Court of Appeal and to commute the death sentence to imprisonment," stated the President.
Also yesterday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari was at the State House to request President Obasanjo's intervention in the matter.
Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi was condemned to death by the Singaporean Appeal Court for illegal trafficking of heroine. His death sentence which is to be carried out on January 26 is however fraught with irregularities that has attracted several civil society and other interest groups around the world who have condemned the judgment of the court.
The Nigerian was alleged to have been affirmed innocent of the offence, but the court refused to commute his sentence.
The House of Representatives also yesterday at plenary described the death sentence placed on Tochi as a political matter noting that President Olusegun Obasanjo must do everything within his power to ensure the boy is not killed by Friday.
This followed a motion sponsored by Hon Halims Agoda urging members of the House as well as urging the executive and judicial arm of government to intercede on behalf of Tochi Iwuchukwu.
According to Agoda, “We as a people and parliament must defend the right of our people in and outside the country. If South African president could rise to the aid of its citizen who was also convicted with Tochi and his sentence was deferred, the Nigerian government should also do what is right for its citizen.”
After much deliberation that lasted over one hour, Speaker Masari said he would personally meet the President and convey the message from the House to the President

Case closed!! Next

Some of us only see as far as our surrounding territory. How can a 17 year old kid who hails and grew up in the remotest village of abia knows how to google?,

Lets think twice before making posts,

I still maintain that no matter what this boy has done, he has a right to live as Singapore needs to be subjected to the United nations laws.

How do you sentence people who killed others in singapore?,

Presidency pleads for mercy over teenager condemned in Singapore

source: http://odili.net/news/source/2007/jan/24/65.html


THE Federal Government has written to the government of Singapore, asking it to temper justice with mercy over the fate of a Nigerian teenager, Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi, sentenced to death after being found guilty of alleged trafficking of 727.03 grams of heroin into the country.

In a telegraph sent by the Attorney General of Federation and Justice Minister, Bayo Ojo (SAN), to the Singaporean government, Nigeria urged the government of Singapore to commute the death sentence on Tochi to imprisonment.

The Guardian learnt that President Olusegun Obasanjo had also written to his Singaporean counterpart, asking that the capital punishment be commuted to a jail term.

The telegraph sent by the Justice Minister reads: "The attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria has been drawn to a very worrisome report concerning one of her citizens, 19-year-old Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi, who was convicted and sentenced to death by the High Court in Singapore for allegedly transporting 727.03 grams of heroin into Singapore and is now awaiting execution with the said sentence having been affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Singapore.

"There has been equal concern shown in my country by civil societies and particularly the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over the offence, entire trial and procedure adopted leading to the death sentence.

"In a nutshell, a lot of concern has been expressed over the following:

* that the international standard of fair trial and due safeguards were not complied with;

* that the procedure for the trial was fraught with contradictions and cannot be said to be dependable and reliable;

* that the executions (in Singapore) are discriminatory based on political and racial considerations;

* that the trial exhibits an oppressive standard of proof which makes an accused guilty until his innocence is proved contrary to the orthodox and internationally acceptable principle;

* in the instant case, the trial judge also acknowledged in the judgment leading to the conviction that there was doubt and that the accused did not have the knowledge of the fact that he was in possession of the drug, heroin. The doubt expressed by the judge should have been resolved in favour of the accused; and that

# the fact that 19-year-old Iwuchukwu Amara is a non-Singaporean citizen, a first offender and circumstances leading to his sentence should make the Singaporean Government commute his death sentence to imprisonment.

"The Federal Republic of Nigeria has enjoyed a very cordial relationship with Singapore, especially in the areas of trade, commerce and diplomatic relations. I am not in doubt that this relationship will continue for a very long time to come.

"As the Chief Law Officer of the Federation of Nigeria, I wish to call your attention to the contradictions contained in the judgment, the basis of the death sentence handed down to this young Nigerian. I also want to mention that should these legal irregularities and contradictions be realised or discovered in the future, it will be too late to seek correction as the accused would have made the supreme sacrifice.

"It is for the above reasons that I apply for an urgent Presidential clemency on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the death sentence of Mr. Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi to be commuted to a term of imprisonment.

"While I anticipate your compassionate treatment of this request, please accept the assurances of my highest esteem regards."

the fool know whats up all of a sudden, hes not smart now? he was smart enough to conceal the stuff out on Lagos. He must know that hard drugs are against d law anywhere he goes irrespective of whether he grew up in a village or not.

So now he wanna play dumb

Like i said before kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kil kill kill kill kill kill kill

geez you are very blood thirsty arent yah

Not exactly. i just like people 2 be responsible 4 their actions. u do d crime. u pay d price. No blaming it on your daddy's 4th wife, "devils work" "God's act" "i no sabi book" etc

That's a pretty harsh sentence for drug trafficking.

but the guy shouldn't be doing the stuff in the first place.

Harsh?

Somebody high on drug go kill someone else (breadwinner) on his way to work. Countless of health problems associated wt hard drugs (Mental, paranoia, etc), Drug related shootings etc. Broken homes.

How would you like it if ur love one start doing drugs. You can almost kiss them goodbye cos u cant get tru to anybody on drugs. never! This punk carry this drug for 1 thing and only 1 thing $$$$$. He was greedy. He knew drugs are illegal. He made a choice to carry anyway. Hence, singapore should be allowed to make its choice. Period. End of story.

Singapore didnt all of a sudden enact a law that punishes drug with death. Its not after d fact. The law has been in place b4 he commited his crime. Ignorance is no excuse.

The social consequenses of drugs is so hefty we dont have room for it here.

I hope i dont sound 2 harsh, but if i do cnat help u here. pls join ne in my chorus:

kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill and i'll sleep happy. Killing this guy is not only right, its a moral justification. Stand for humanity for once. Drug pushing is counter humanity. Time to take out the trash. once again kill kill kill kill kill kill

the punishment definitely is harsh.
Singapore had issues w/ the UN human rights commision at some time and has one of the highest execution rates anyway.



@Promise72
you're evil


don't you think that a couple of years in jail is more humane?

Singapore has issues with human right, so is Nigeria, Russia, India, china etc etc So where do u stop.

Constable go slap u for face for naija u no fit do anything, soja go whip u wt horsewhip u go dey beg even if u no do anything. If u argue to may get killed and they'll call it "accidental discharge" Its not in Nigeria place to be talkin about human right.

Couple of years in jail. sure. its been tried it called the United States. Its a freaking revolving door.

stand firmly by my verdict. kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill. please join me i beg

Singapore executes 2 Africans (Nigerians) for drugs
01/25/2007

SINGAPORE - Singapore executed two Africans on drug trafficking charges Friday despite pleas for clemency by Nigeria's president, the
United Nations and human rights groups.
ADVERTISEMENT

Nigerian Iwuchukwu Amara Tochi, 21, was hanged at dawn in the city-state after being convicted of trafficking 727 grams of heroin _ nearly 50 times the 15 grams that draws a mandatory death penalty in Singapore _ the Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement.

Okeke Nelson Malachy, a 35-year-old stateless African, who was convicted as the person to whom Iwuchukwu was supposed to deliver the drugs, was also executed Friday, the statement said.

About a dozen activists held an overnight vigil outside maximum-security Changi Prison, where the execution was carried out. Just before the hanging, they stood or sat with their heads bowed, holding roses in the flickering glow of candles on the ground around photos of Iwuchukwu and a red-and-white soccer jersey said to be his.

The execution was carried out despite appeals by Amnesty International, the United Nations and Nigerian President Olesegun Obasanjo, who asked Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong week to commute the death sentence.

Source: Yahoo News

Let this be a lesson to all you fast boys out there. I believe in life that the decision that affect you most in life is not taken by you. As sad as i felt reading the last post, it will be wrong in part of Singapore to pick and chose who the'll execute or commute.

Ok we are all arguing that they spare one guy, unknowingly its actually 2 guys. So what do you want them to do. Kill one leave one? or leave both of them . What happens to subsequent drug smugglers thay catch tomorrow who dont have obj or amnesty to fight for them? Die because no connection? No leg? dem no know person?

Unfortunately, the problem with Nigeria/Nigerians is that we always thing that we are someone special. That somehow the rule dont apply to us. Its the reason why the country is what it is. You make law. Damn it follow it. Otherwise dont make the law.

As i am truly dejected reading abouththe execution, its victory for humanity. I hope these guys teach other punks from Nigeria a lesson. Dont be used by some drug baron. This guy is a small fish. The big guys turn is coming, i pray. Or may be hes too smart to do a dumb thing like that. Theres always another punk at the next street corner. May God help us. I weep for my dear country

Barbaric. Why was he not sentenced to maybe 10 years imprisonment? I am not in support of the death penalty. Very pitiable indeed.

[size=18pt]Changi Strikes Again[/size]

it's very unfortunate the 19 yrs old boy along with other one Nigerian was executed this Early hour of the morning; but my question is this, can't we Nigerian youth think of other productive and lawful way of acquiring wealth this nefarious act is rife among the Igbo boys not only in Asia, Europe and America, come to Togo where this writer is writing from, it is "Nigerian this, Nigerian that"(most of them Igbo boys) all kinds of crime, pls my brothers let us think of a better way to make our money at least, some us still value that name, Nigeria Tochis's case is a great lesson to many a Nigerian who rather than be a good ambassador of Nigeria in a foreign land perpetrate myriads of crime ;

don't you think that a couple of years in jail is more humane?

Humane? what is so humane about the prospect of sharing a singapore jail for how ever long with a guy named HO or Chung with a glint in his eyes ,who fancies parking his bike up his path every now and again? Nah man , nah nah . I would ask to be killed. young boy like him? fresh ass ripe for the picking by those freaky Singgy men who want to ''love you longggggg time'' NO SIR!

very sad but the deed has already been done any way. i have learnt never to judge people again no matter what they are doing. may his soul rest in peace thats if there is any peace in the afterlife

I can see that some people on this thread only justify their sentiments based on information they get on this thread. Why not read www.amara-tochi.de?, why not go to www.wikipedia.com, why not search google to know what the actual story was?,


Tochi was given a bag by mr smith to deliver to his sick friend in singapore, The only thing he was told that the bag contains herbal contents, s the diamorphine(heroine) was sealed in capsule (like tetracycline capsules).

1. before his arrest, the attendant who was at the hotel where he wanted to lodge in actually told him that he will have to call the police before giving him a room, do you thinkif he is aware of what is in his bag, he won't try to conceal it?,

2. During trial, he was not allowed a visit, he was denied a lawyer initially. The Suth African lawyer who defends him was sacked for some reason.

3. While the trial was going on, one of the judges actually stated that there was no way tochi knew that the bag he was carrying contain diamorphine.

4. The singaporean government delayed his trial till he was 21 for his execution to be carried out. Under Singaporean law, at the time of the crime, he was a minor.

While i will maintain that this boy should be punished for his crime, it does not justify a death sentence at all, since he was not proven guilty.


whatever, he was murdered anyway( did i hear you say executed on just cause?)

All i know is that his innocence lives on,

If we do not oppose unjust laws when they are made, this sort of thing will continue to happen.

Exactly seun,

If he was murdered, what kind of sentence will be given to people who kill people?,

So trafficking/consuming a substance(Drugs) made from natural/artificial sources calls for an execution, Na wah for this world oh, I'm not justifying what the guy did, but I have to agree with Gbengajot that the sentence was just too harsh

what? am beggining to believe that this guy was murdered by the sigaporean authurities . if what i read on wikipedia was true then the guy was really innocent because the trail judge him self said there was no evidence to show that the guy knew he was carrying Heroin so i believe he was wrongly murdered

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amara_Tochi

Thank God someons is thinking exactly like i do.

They've done their worst, sincerely, i have coz of that hated the guts of the singaporean government.

Anybody that actually read the story of Amara Tochi will know that fairness was not exercised in the vadict that condemmed him to death. He was declared guilty base on the fatc that he was caught with a bag full of drugs. We should be logical in analysing issues. Those calling for the boy to be hanged should please answer my question: If you were to trafic drugs from location A to B would you rather just pack the drugs in a bag or conceal the drugs in a place that may be difficult for antidrug officials to find?, I strongly believe that boy was a victim of circumstance! . I had an experience when i was travelling out of Nigeria. Someone told me to help deliver a bag to a friend in the country where i was going to. I demanded to know the content of the bag but the man said the contents were spiritual items for personal protection of the guy i was suppose to deliver it to. I insisted on seeing those items but the man said if i should see it, that nolifies the potency of the items (juju or what ever). I simply told him to employ the services of demons to help him deliver the items to the guy if i would not be allowed to see what he wanted me to deliver to someone. Base on this experience i believe Tochi was just trying to help some one as claimed. Anyway the did had already been done May his sould rest in peace. But for those saying "hang hang hang", a yoruba adage says "makan makan loye nkan. Eyi to kan ara iwo, nbo wa kan ara ede"

May his soul rest in peace, Amen.

To make matters worse, they cremated the Guys bones without permission from his family. If I was the guy my spirit woudn't rest, the earth would shake that day.

dblock, u funny sha,person way don mud don mud!! as far as am concerned, nigerian Govt should have intervened earlier on his behalf and the young man might have still gotten a chance to be alive today.They really bleeped up (the govt) and its really unfair,because alot of other worse crimes r being committed everyday and they don't get punishments half as bad as his well its unfortunate, i hope his other colleagues in the business learn from his mistake and shouldnt think of crossing singapore's boundaries.lol