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PATRICK OKOROAFOR: Citizens appeal to Gov Rochas Okorocha for his release.

Over the past few days, Governor Okorocha’s facebook page has been bombarded with appeals from Citizens asking for the release of one Patrick Okoroafor. It doesn’t look like his Media people are active on that page or atleast know what to do with it. The last page update is dated November 11, 2011.

Anyway, we have followed posts calling for the release this Patrick Okoroafor silently. This particular one caught our attention.

Gov Okorocha Please Free Patrick Okoroafor -Amnesty International.

Patrick Okoroafor was arrested on charges of robbery and kidnapping, a crime he has always said he never committed. On 30 May 1997, aged 16. He was sentenced to death with no right to appeal.

In 2001, the High Court pronounced his death sentence illegal, null and void, still Patrick was not released. The High Court ruling was that Patrick will be held “during the pleasure of the governor”, as permitted under the Nigerian criminal code. Gov Udenwa and Ohakim all ignored the plight of innocence Patrick and did not exercise right to release the man under their “pleasure”.

We appeal to Gov Rochas Okorocha to show HOPE to Patrick and help to heal this wound of a young man who have stay over half of his life in prison for an offence he did not commit. Patrick is presently held in Aba prison, Abia state.(alleged offence happen in Imo state)

Chai! This is a serious matter o. If the poor boy is innocent , they should kuku ma release him so they can see where to put the kidnappers terrorizing us. Hope he gets justice.

7 Responses to "PATRICK OKOROAFOR: Citizens appeal to Gov Rochas Okorocha for his release."

Uzoamaka says:

December 16, 2011 at 4:54 AM

Joy, I knw about this matter. Patrick( Pati as he was fondly called) was my class boy in primary schl! He was living on the same street with Maria Eze then. His parents transferred him from Housing Primary Scl Aladinma to Ikenegbu Layout Pri Schl byt alas, Partick in the mornings will still join us in HEPS. He became a truant and started handling plenty cash as at that time. This was when he hooked up with some bad boys- Obidiozo and co who were convicted on charges of Armed Robbery et al. The rest were executed but Pati wasn’t bc he was underage then-16yrs. This is just a sad case of hanging out with the bad guys. He may not have committed the crime with them, but may have been an accessory before or after the fact. Though it was wrong for him to have been sentenced to death at that time, he knew some of the things that happened during the reign of Obidiozo and his gang terrorizing Owerri then. I hope the gov will eventually release him bc he has really served time.

Reply
1. Tess says:
  
  December 17, 2011 at 3:58 AM
  
  If this is the same boy whose dad was a permanent secretary in Imo state then you are right. He had something to do with Obidiozor and Tanko Zubairu saved his life at the last minute because his father was in govt.
  That gang caused a lot of harm and distress in Owerri in those days. However, I also agree with you that he has served time and should be released.
  
  Reply
anita says:

December 16, 2011 at 5:30 AM

What’s the evidence he is innocent?or not?

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CHRIS EJIKE says:

December 16, 2011 at 9:37 AM

PLEASE OGA ROCHAS, YOU ARE THE LAST HOPE OF THE COMMON MAN IN IMO STATE. KINDLY INVESTIGATE THIS ARTICLE AND TAKE ACTION. GOD BLESS YOU!

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Anonymous says:

December 16, 2011 at 6:46 PM

Hello Uzoamaka, my name is Henry Okorafor, I am Patrick’s elder brother. I have all the documments relating to the case. Every one of it. All the tribunal proceadings have been carefully docummented. Amnesty International also has all the documments. The only thing linking Patrick to this case is that a person that sold a VW Santana car to our mother, Mrs Okorafor, was arrested in the case of Obidiozo and he told the police that he is a car dealer and that he sold a car for example to our mother. When the police came to our house to inspect the car, in order to confirm if it was stolen before it was sold to our mother. The car could not be inspected, because Patrick went out with the car. The police told our mother, who does nor drive cars herself, that Patrick should bring the car to be inspected at the police station. When Patrick brought the car there, he was arrested and accused of kidnapping somebody along with the other people. The charge was later changed to armed robbery (robbing 550 naira/ about 40 Dollars) and reffered to the armed robbery tribunal. The aim of changing the charge from kidnapping to armed robbery is clear! (death sentence without the right of appeal) Why where they not tried in a normal court if there is any evidence that Patrick is an armed robber?

I and Amnesty International have all the documments relating to the case. If Uzoamaka or whoever you are has an evidence linking Patrick to any armed robbery please present it to the whole world or stop spreading wicked rumours!

Patrick is innocent, he did not committ any offence, other than driving his mother’s car, and there is no reason to say because I was sending him money from Germany that the money he got from me was gotten illegally.

Please Uzoamaka present your evidence now of appologise to Patrick!

Reply
Emeka Metu says:

December 17, 2011 at 9:50 AM

HENRY OKOROAFOR,
You said you are Patrick Okorafor’s elder brother.
According to you, Patrick Okorafor went out with the car when police came calling to inspect the car.
But Patrick was 16 when he was convicted. So? Do normal kids aged 16 or below drive cars in Nigeria?
Something is fishing.
Imo state is already full of dregs that terrorise Imolites. They kidnap for ransome these days. They can’t even dare go beyond Imo state for their cheap, lousy people’s criminal activities because they are cawords. Let justice take its course pls.

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Mary favour says:

March 1, 2012 at 11:22 PM

Let us dnt say wat we are not sure,onething i knw is dat,god who keep him there knws d reason why.and whn d time comes dat same god will bring him out.let us stop fighting our self over who is saying d truth or not.all we all hav 2 do is jst 2 pray 4 pati,bcus he really need our help.knw body knws 2moro.plz mr henry ur brother needs ur prayer to.there is noting god can nt do.let d will of god b done in his life.people like do bcome a great man of man.

Reply

PATRICK OKOROAFOR: Citizens appeal to Gov Rochas Okorocha for his release.

Anyway, we have followed posts calling for the release this Patrick Okoroafor silently. This particular one caught our attention.

Gov Okorocha Please Free Patrick Okoroafor -Amnesty International.

Patrick Okoroafor was arrested on charges of robbery and kidnapping, a crime he has always said he never committed. On 30 May 1997, aged 16. He was sentenced to death with no right to appeal.

We appeal to Gov Rochas Okorocha to show HOPE to Patrick and help to heal this wound of a young man who have stay over half of his life in prison for an offence he did not commit. Patrick is presently held in Aba prison, Abia state.(alleged offence happen in Imo state)

Chai! This is a serious matter o. If the poor boy is innocent , they should kuku ma release him so they can see where to put the kidnappers terrorizing us. Hope he gets justice.

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