Government urged to help Nigerians in Czech jails

A NON-GOVERNMENTAL organisation, the Centre for Victims of Extra Judicial Killings and Torture (CVEKT AFRICA), at the weekend lamented the plight of Nigerians serving various prison sentences in the Czech Republic and urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene.

According to the organisation, over 100 Nigerians are languishing in the Czech Republic prisons for various offences ranging from tax evasion, marriage issues, as well as drug-related offences.

It said it was disheartening that while their Czech counterparts with whom they committed the offences were given lighter prisons terms and even released before the expiration of their terms, the Nigerians were given heavy jail terms.

Addressing journalists in Enugu on the plight of the affected Nigerians, Executive Director of CVEKT AFRICA, Rev. Fr. Tony Amarube, said their plight was highlighted long ago by Duo Consulting Agency, alleging that the Czech government, through its judiciary, has been violating fundamental principles of human rights, fair trial and judgment in respect of Nigerian suspects in their country.

He disclosed that Duo Consulting, London, highlighted their plight in January 2010. “Among these instances is the case of Chijioke S. Okonkwo, a Nigerian and Eva Jasinska, a Czech: file ref. No. 47T 16/2008 in which Chijioke Okonkwo was sentenced to 12 years in jail whereas Jasinka was given four years and discharged after only 13 months of jail term because she was a Czech citizen while Okonkwo has continued to languish in jail ever since then.

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By Lawrence Njoku

-The Guardian