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Olayiwola Matthew
A psychotic armed robber and crack cocaine dealer, reportedly a Nigerian, has been spared deportation from the United Kingdom (UK) because his mental illness would be considered “demonic possession” in his home country.
The offender, who is not named for legal reasons, was jailed for seven years for carrying out an armed robbery on a brothel in 2011 and seven years later was jailed for supplying crack cocaine.
A deportation order was made in April 2014, but he appealed on human rights grounds.
The Telegraph reported the case on Sunday, citing it as an example where migrants or convicted foreign criminals have used human rights laws to remain in the UK or halt their deportations.
In his appeal judgment, a judge ruled that treatment for the convicted criminal’s psychosis in Nigeria would not be good enough.
The offender has reportedly spent much of his time in a secure mental health hospital in the UK and “hears voices all the time.” But he is now back in the community.
“We note the appellant’s recurring belief that his mental ill-health is a result of being possessed,” Stephen Smith, an upper tribunal judge, ruled.
“We assess that him expressing this belief would increase the likelihood that others will see his illness as being a manifestation of possession.”
A report prepared by Amnesty International for the offender’s appeal said, “It is our assessment that on return to Nigeria [the appellant] is likely … to encounter widespread attitudes that confirm and amplify his belief in demonic forces and witchcraft as being at the root of his problems.”
“He is, moreover, at substantial risk of being identified as suffering from demonic forces and faces a resultant risk of being targeted as a result,” the report added.
A separate medical report found that the migrant experienced intrusive memories and nightmares and was preoccupied with demonic forces “playing tricks with his mind.”
Judges said the decision to deport the man to another country would require a comparison between “the highly prescriptive treatment environment currently enjoyed by the appellant with the removal of such provision in the destination country”.
In defence, the man pleaded for a second chance.
“I really want to stay away from crime. I don’t want to get into that predicament again … I want to live a normal life,” the offender said.
According to his key worker, the man has been attending the gym five to six days a week and works as a volunteer once a week.