The ECOWAS Court of Justice has dismissed all the requests made by a Nigerian prisoner in the United States, Richard Ugbah, to complete the remainder of his sentence in Nigeria.
The Nigerian had asked the Court to order his transfer from the United States, where he is serving a 12-year imprisonment for wire fraud.
In the suit No: ECW/CCJ/ APP/ 18/21, filed in the Court, the applicant, who was convicted having been found guilty of wire fraud by a US Court on 14/2/2017 asked the ECOWAS Court to order his transfer to Nigeria, having satisfied the requirements for such a transfer.
In its judgment on 14 December 2023 delivered by Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Judge Rapporteur, the Court declared that it lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter.
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In dispensing with the issues, the Court held as to admissibility, that the Second Respondent, the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not a proper party before this Court.
However, it upheld the preliminary objection raised by the First Respondent, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and declared the claims before it as unfounded and without legal basis.
Consequently, it dismissed all the reliefs sought by the Applicant.
In the Initiating Application, the Applicant averred that he is a Nigerian citizen resident in the US who was convicted by the District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin after he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on 14/2/17 and was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
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