An appeal filed by Buruji Kashamu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, was dismissed. The US Court demands extradition and continuation of the scandalous drug trafficking case.
As reported by PremiumTimes, the United States Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal filed by a close ally of President Goodluck Jonathan, to quash his indictment for smuggling drugs into the US. Circuit Judges Posner, Kanne, and Tinder noted that because of “very serious criminal charges against him” Mr Kashamu did not want to be extradited to the US.
Mr Kashamu and 14 others in 1998 were charged by a federal grand jury for their alleged involvement in an international conspiracy to smuggle heroin into the US. But the politician, a major campaigner for President Goodluck Jonathan in the South West, allegedly fled to the UK where the efforts made by the US to extradite him failed, before he returned to Nigeria.
Campaign posters of Buruji Kashamu flood Ogun State. Photo: Twitter
US court in the ruling delivered by Judge Posner on September 15 noted that Mr Kashamu has remained in Nigeria, where he lives openly as a prominent businessman and a politician belonging to the ruling party. Judge Posner said that although the United States has an extradition treaty with Nigeria and government has made no effort to extradite him.
Besides, in the decision of the US District Court, last May Judge Charles Norgle accused Buruji Kashamu of document forgery as well as political pressure, to frustrate his trial in the US.
However, Judge Posner and Judge Norgle agree that extradition of Buruji Kashamu unlikely because of his political activity and relationship with Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan.
Earlier in December 2013 Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo warned President Goodluck of Buruji.
“Putting a certified unashamed criminal wanted abroad to face justice and who has greatly contributed to corruption within the judiciary on a high profile of politics as you and your aides have done with the man you enthrone as PDP Zonal leader in the South-West is the height of disservice to this country politically and height of insult to the people of South-West in general and members of PDP in that zone in particular.”
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