On the Recent Loss of Appeal in a Lower Bakori Sharia Court of Appeal, Katsins State By Malama Amina Lawal Against Her Stoning

The attention of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Washington, D.C., USA has been drawn to numerous precipitate media commentaries and telephone calls on the recent rejection of appeal filed by Malama Amina Lawal in a lower Sharia Court of Appeal in Funtua, Katsina State for having a child out of wedlock.

The Embassy wishes to assure all concerned that Nigeria being a respected member of the international community and signatory to the UN Human Rights Charter and African Charter of Human Rights is totally committed to her obligations under the said charters and to the protection of human rights of all her citizens and their dignity, irrespective of their religious, political and economic background.

Accordingly, the Embassy wishes to inform that Malama Amina Lawal has three levels of courts of appeal before the final determination of her case. The Embassy hereby assures the general public that Malama Lawal's right to a fair hearing under the Nigerian Constitution is guaranteed. Therefore due appellate processes will be followed to ensure the rule of law.

Furthermore, the Federal Government has through the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation announced that it will facilitate her lawyers' arguments at the appellate courts following her expressed dissatisfaction on the verdict of Monday, August 19, 2002 and her decision to appeal. We are confident of the eventual triumph of the rule of law and the respect for human dignity and that her appeal will be upheld in the Upper Courts.

We would like to remind all members of the public of the case of Safia Hussaini who was similarly condemned to death by stoning a few months ago in Zamfara State but was eventually acquitted on an appeal to a higher court. She was, according to the judgment freed on legal grounds. We have every reason to believe that the pending appellate processes will also make a similar ruling on Malama. Lawal. That is to say, both the legal processes and our constitution will prevail, in favour of Malama. Lawal.

Ambassador A.A. Agada
Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of Nigeria
Washington, D.C. - USA

29 August, 2002