ECOWAS Court Halts Execution of Edo Death Row Inmate

 

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice has ordered the federal government and the Edo State Government to take Mr. Thankgod Ebhos’s name off the death row.

Ebhos, who has faced imminent threat of execution since June 24, 2013 when he was taken to the gallows alongside four other inmates who were executed in Benin Prison, had been on death row for 18 years.

Apprehension of his transfer to another prison for the purpose of execution had been lurking since then.

Avocats Sans Frontières France, in a bid to preclude further executions in the state, had instituted an action against the federal and state governments at the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Ebhos’ behalf.

An application was filed by Avocats Sans Frontières France, seeking an interim injunction restraining the respondents from executing Ebhos pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter before the court.

The court established proof of desire to appeal on the part of the convict and stated that in the light of such a desire, any move to enforce the death sentence would be a violation of article (4) of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights which states that if a convict is executed without exhausting the avenues for appeal, it constitutes an arbitrary deprivation of the right to life.

Furthermore, the court held that the application satisfied the court in line with article 20 of the protocol of the court and article 79 of the laws of the procedures of the court.

“Whereas a conviction and sentence hanging on the second plaintiff when his intention to appeal against the conviction and sentence is in the court’s estimation an extreme gravity and urgency and to avoid irreparable damage to the second plaintiff, the court shall grant interim measure or injunction by ordering that the defendant shall suspend the death sentence until the case before the court is determined,” the court stated.

The court further ordered that his name be removed from death row, pending the determination of the substantive matter before it.

Reacting to the ruling, Head of Office of Avocats Sans Frontières France, Angela Uwandu, expressed immense satisfaction and reiterated the commitment of ASF France to ensuring that rights of detainees and convicts are upheld.