[ad_1]
SINGAPORE – A 34-year-old Nigerian was acquitted of a capital drug trafficking charge after the Court of Appeal reversed its 2015 decision to convict him.
Following a 4-1 split decision, a panel of five judges ruled on Thursday (September 17) that his previous judgment could no longer stand after new evidence emerged that Ilechukwu Uchechukwu Chukwudi was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) when lied. to narcotics officers in 2011.
The final verdict ends a rare legal case that has seen many twists and turns in the past nine years. Here’s a look at the developments in the case:
November 13, 2011: Ilechukwu Uchechukwu Chukwudi arrives in Singapore from Nigeria with a black suitcase, which he passes to someone else.
November 14, 2011: Ilechukwu is arrested at his hotel after almost 2 kg of methamphetamine was found in his suitcase.
November 5, 2014: Ilechukwu is acquitted of drug trafficking after a High Court trial.
June 29, 2015: Ilechukwu is convicted by the Court of Appeal, which annuls the acquittal following an appeal by the prosecution.
March 6, 2017: A psychiatric report that was prepared for sentencing states that Ilechukwu was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) when his statements were recorded.
April 5, 2017: Ilechukwu files a motion to the Court of Appeal to reopen his case.
August 2, 2017: The Court of Appeal returns the case to the High Court to determine the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder and whether Ilechukwu suffered from it.
July 5, 2019: The High Court finds that Ilechukwu was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) when his statements were recorded.
September 17, 2020: Ilechukwu is acquitted after the Court of Appeal overturns his conviction.
[ad_2]
