89-Year-Old Imo Man Reportedly Facing Death Sentence as GOMEP-NG Calls for Legal Review

Reported By Bassey Etim

The Guild of Online Media Editors and Publishers of Nigeria (GOMEP-NG) has appealed to the Nigerian Bar Association, human rights lawyers, civil society organisations and the Imo State Government to urgently review the case of an 89-year-old man, Pa Everestus Okereke, who is reportedly facing execution alongside his son after spending about a decade in custody.

The appeal was contained in a statement signed by the President of GOMEP-NG, Comr. Akpovoke Otiti, following reports concerning the circumstances surrounding the conviction and death sentence imposed on Okereke and his eldest son.

According to the organisation, media reports indicate that the two men were sentenced to death by hanging in September 2022 over a 2016 incident in Imo State that reportedly resulted in the death of another man.

GOMEP-NG said the matter involved a homicide case and stressed that its intervention was not intended to question the authority of the courts or deny the family of the deceased access to justice.

Instead, the organisation called for an independent examination of the case to determine whether all available legal avenues have been properly explored before any irreversible action is taken.

Reports cited by the group also indicate that another son of Pa Okereke, who was allegedly involved in the confrontation that preceded the death, fled after the incident and has reportedly remained missing.

GOMEP-NG urged the NBA to facilitate an independent legal review of the case, where possible, with particular attention to the charges filed against the convicted persons, evidence presented during the trial, the judgment delivered by the court and the current status of any appeal.

The organisation also appealed to human rights lawyers and civil society groups to examine the matter, particularly because of the advanced age of the older convict.

GOMEP-NG said Pa Okereke was reportedly about 79 years old when he entered custody and is now 89, meaning that he has spent approximately 10 years in detention.

The group said the length of his detention and his present age made it important for relevant authorities and legal practitioners to establish the current status of the case and determine whether any legal remedies remain available.

“We are not asking for preferential treatment. We are asking for scrutiny, transparency, due process and access to justice,” the organisation said.

The group further called on the Imo State Government and relevant justice authorities to provide clarification on the present legal position of the case and ensure that any available legal procedures are properly identified.

GOMEP-NG maintained that protecting the rights of persons facing a death sentence should not be interpreted as denying justice to victims or their families.

It urged lawyers and advocacy organisations to obtain and examine the relevant court records and, where appropriate, assist the affected persons in pursuing any remaining legal remedies permitted under Nigerian law.

The organisation also appealed for responsible reporting of the matter, noting that accurate information is particularly important in cases involving criminal convictions and capital punishment.

The case has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the convictions, the status of any appeals and the legal steps that may still be available to the convicted persons.

However, the details contained in the appeal by GOMEP-NG are not, by themselves, a substitute for the court records or an independent determination of the facts of the case.

The organisation’s intervention is therefore focused on ensuring that the legal status of the matter is clarified and that due process is followed before any irreversible action is taken.

As calls for intervention grow, attention is now expected to turn to the NBA, human rights lawyers, civil society organisations and relevant authorities in Imo State to determine the present status of the case and whether further legal remedies remain available to the convicted father and son.