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CNN Live At Daybreak

Nigerian Mom Appeals Death by Stoning Conviction

Aired June 03, 2003 - 06:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, where a sentence of death by stoning is being appealed. Amina Lawal's crime is adultery, because her baby girl was born out of wedlock. Adultery is a violation of Islamic law. Now, the case has the attention of several human rights groups.
CNN's Jeff Koinange filed this report earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is D-day for Amina Lawal, but the "D" right now stands for "delay," as this court case was supposed to start an hour-and-a-half ago, but the principals have yet to arrive. I'm talking about the judges, I'm talking about the prosecution and the defense, and Amina Lawal still hasn't arrived.

But as someone commented to me a couple of minutes ago, we've waited a couple of hours for this; Amina Lawal's life has been on hold for more than a year.

As you'll recall, Carol, she was convicted of having a child out of wedlock over a year ago, but because her child was too young she was able to get time off to wean the child for about a year-and-a- half, and that conviction date was set for August 25, 2003, which means it's less than three months away. That's why these appeals are very, very important.

If the court does uphold the appeal today, she can indeed go one more step, but it will set a dangerous precedent, because there are others behind her, there are other court cases behind her, people waiting to be convicted. And one of these days, you know the sharia courts will carry out one of their sentences in one way or another.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Jeff Koinange from Nigeria this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired June 3, 2003 - 06:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, where a sentence of death by stoning is being appealed. Amina Lawal's crime is adultery, because her baby girl was born out of wedlock. Adultery is a violation of Islamic law. Now, the case has the attention of several human rights groups.
CNN's Jeff Koinange filed this report earlier this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is D-day for Amina Lawal, but the "D" right now stands for "delay," as this court case was supposed to start an hour-and-a-half ago, but the principals have yet to arrive. I'm talking about the judges, I'm talking about the prosecution and the defense, and Amina Lawal still hasn't arrived.

But as someone commented to me a couple of minutes ago, we've waited a couple of hours for this; Amina Lawal's life has been on hold for more than a year.

As you'll recall, Carol, she was convicted of having a child out of wedlock over a year ago, but because her child was too young she was able to get time off to wean the child for about a year-and-a- half, and that conviction date was set for August 25, 2003, which means it's less than three months away. That's why these appeals are very, very important.

If the court does uphold the appeal today, she can indeed go one more step, but it will set a dangerous precedent, because there are others behind her, there are other court cases behind her, people waiting to be convicted. And one of these days, you know the sharia courts will carry out one of their sentences in one way or another.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Jeff Koinange from Nigeria this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.