Izevbekhai lawyers obtain 'death cert'

Ali Bracken, Crime Correspondent

Lawyers for the Nigerian have received documents which they claim prove daughter Elizabeth died

Pamela Izevbekhai and her daughters: she claims another daughter, Elizabeth, died as a result of female genital mutilation

Lawyers representing Nigerian mother-of-two Pamela Izevbekhai have obtained 'attestation of death' documentation which they claim will prove she had a daughter, Elizabeth, who died from complications of female genital mutilation (FGM).

It is the latest twist in Izevbekhai's fight against her family's deportation after she admitted four weeks ago that some documents she presented to the court concerning the apparent death of her child from complications of FGM in 1994 were forgeries.

Government sources have dismissed Izevbekhai's lawyers' claims about the new documentation supposedly proving her daughter's death saying that "if this baby did live and die, why did Pamela initially provide fake documents to the courts?"

Izevbekhai and her husband Tony, who lives in Nigeria following his deportation from the UK when his application for refugee status failed, have now hired a lawyer in Nigeria who is examining the validity of these documents.

Solicitors in Dublin have been provided with documentation in which it is claimed that Elizabeth existed and died from complications of FGM.

"We have obtained an 'attestation of death' document that I am satisfied is a genuine legal document," said a legal source involved in the Izevbekhai case.

On Thursday the case will be briefly mentioned before the Supreme Court and there may be a change of solicitors representing Izevbekhai as her previous solicitor Gabriel Toolan will step down following her admission regarding false documentation. Her new solicitor will then seek an adjournment.

"The new documentation is our equivalent of a death cert. We will also be submitting affidavits that Dr Unokanjo did treat Elizabeth but that she was referred to another doctor at a different hospital," continued the source.

Izevbekhai had presented her daughter's death certificate to the authorities here, signed by Dr Joseph Unokanjo of Isioma hospital in Lagos.

However, he told a senior garda who travelled to Nigeria last month that this was a forgery and signed an affidavit to that effect.

Izevbekhai said in a statement released to the Sunday Tribune: "I've been praying. I'm convinced that Jesus will help me and Elizabeth will help me. I'm beginning to think that Elizabeth's death was for a reason, that it was God's purpose she help the rest of her family now."

While Izevbekhai has acknowledged some documents given to the court in support of her action were forged, she has continuously stood over her claim she had a daughter who died from as a result of a botched FGM.

She has been to the High Court 22 times to prevent her family's deportation on the grounds that her two daughters Naomi (7) and Jemima (6) will be subjected to FGM.

A government source said Izevbekhai's story still has not stood up to scrutiny: "The courts of this land on several occasions have been crystal clear: she does not have grounds for asylum."

April 26, 2009

Comments

#1 Frank Boyle commented, on April 27, 2009 at 2:28 p.m.:

So Pamela produces a forged death cert, and now Nigeria does not have death certs. An attestation of death is not a birth cert.

Elizabeth was referred to a different doctor in a different hospital when her daughter was going into shock? That's not very professional. Never mind the fact that the doctor who referred Elizabeth maintains that he had never heard of her. Not only that. She had forgotten which doctor witnessed the death. Why not just produce genuine death and birth certs?

Why has it taken all these weeks after the documents were discovered as forgeries for them to remember that a different doctor was involved.

This has cost us enough money. There must be no more stall tactics. The law must be upheld. Pamela should feel lucky if she is repatriated without being prosecuted.

#2 Brian commented, on April 27, 2009 at 3:37 p.m.:

The "Attestation of Death" certificate is no doubt from the same stable as the death certificate and Unokanjo affidavit previously tendered.

#3 curiousstar commented, on April 27, 2009 at 4:51 p.m.:

Why wasn't this "attestation of death" document found and provided before the forgeries were submitted. How can an Irish based lawyer be "'satisfied'" this new document is a "'genuine legal document'", after her legal team couldn't detect the forgeries prior to the Garda Immigration officers who travelled to Nigeria to uncover the fraud? Who is paying for the Nigerian lawyer? Why can't the same person pay for her case in Ireland which has cost over Euro 400,000, not to mention the additional support/welfare costs of keeping this person and her children in the State for such a length of time? Why can't she be returned to Holland at her claimed point of entry prior to coming to the Irish Republic as is the case with other failed asylum applications entering Ireland as a second choice EEC country. Why was her husband deported as a failed asylum seeker from the UK but is looking forward to joining his wife and family in Ireland? (ref: YouTube). Can someone, anyone, please answer these questions?

#4 phil commented, on April 27, 2009 at 9:37 p.m.:

If the cases concerning over 40,000 illegal Irish in the states-who are now in what is termed as a"Legal Limbo"-gained as much prominence there as the case of this one Nigerian woman Pamela Izevbekhai,could the people of the United States be accused of being racist against the Irish?

#5 martin roche commented, on April 29, 2009 at 6:25 a.m.:

Having worked in Nigeria for a considerable time,I can assure the readers you can get a presidential seal if you pay enough DASH,(Backhanders) everything works on the dash system ,this is the same country that gave you E mail scams(irish accountant kidnapped in lagos re-scams) would I trust any documentation from Nigeria certainly not nor should anybody else.

Cassandra

#6 Brian commented, on April 29, 2009 at 2:05 p.m.:

Concerning Phil's comment,
All illegal immigrants, whether Irish,Mexican or Nigerian should be deported.

#7 Rose commented, on April 30, 2009 at 7:55 a.m.:

Why is this woman and her two children still in Ireland? Put them on the first plane out of Dublin. I don't believe a word she says and if she is allowed to stay her husband will join her to avail of our generous benefits whilst peoople who have worked all their lives and paid stamps are means tested for their unemployment benefit. Hope her supporters and not the tax payers are paying her legal bills.

#8 phil commented, on April 30, 2009 at 2:01 p.m.:

Yes,but this is obviously not the case Brian and it is my point.I would have imagined with so many family and friends abroad and living in a state of Legal Limbo since 9/11 that the Irish at home may have shown-if not sympathy-then at least a certain tolerance to"Illegals"facing a similar situation in Ireland..or do the Irish believe that they are deserving of a little'special treatment'and if so where does this idea come from?If the same levels of accusation were being directed at the Illegal Irish in the US it may conjure up a certain unsavoury image of that country around the world in the same way as this case is not particularily portraying Ireland or the Irish in a good light,or perhaps its just mirroring how the Irish people really are;unashamed racists and Bigots!

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