Thirty-one years after, the United States government has finally withdrawn the narcotics case against Nigerian politician, the late Buruji Kashamu, according to legal documents sighted by Peoples Gazette.
he decision came five years after Mr Kashamu’s death was linked to coronavirus in 2020. He was among prominent Nigerians claimed by the deadly pandemic.
The Gazette learnt that the decision to withdraw the charges against the late Mr Kashamu was made after the U.S. government was finally able to confirm the former senator’s 2020 death through DNA evidence.
Following the confirmation, the government subsequently filed a motion to dismiss the case against Mr Kashamu, and was granted by Judge Jorge Alonso of the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division on April 18 since it’s impossible to continue the prosecution of a dead person.
The famous case inspired the popular Netflix series, “Orange Is The New Black.”
Charges were first filed against the late Mr Kashamu on March 17, 1994, after the U.S. government accused him of leading an international drug ring that recruited Americans to transport drugs across international borders.
Shortly after the indictment, the late politician was arrested in the United Kingdom, with the U.S. government immediately seeking his extradition. However, they lost the case after a judge ruled that the American authorities failed to prove that the politician was the right suspect.
The late politician maintained that he was innocent and accused the U.S. government of racism, claiming his legal battle was a case of mistaken identity as his brother was the person American authorities were looking for – a claim the UK judge deemed sufficient to release him.
In 2009, Mr Kashamu fled the UK and returned to Nigeria where he immediately started his political movement before eventually joining the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party.
He successfully ran for election in Ogun State in 2015 and was elected to the National Assembly as senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District – a position he held until April 2019.
Weeks after his election, the U.S. government attempted to extradite him from Nigeria when the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, in coordination with American enforcement agencies, invaded his home for his arrest.
However, Mr Kashamu secured himself inside the house, with the siege lasting several days before his lawyer was finally able to obtain a court order for NDLEA officials to vacate his compound.
Meanwhile, Mr Kashamu maintained his innocence until his demise and launched several unsuccessful attempts to quash the case. He remained in Nigeria and never travelled to the U.S. or the UK until his death in 2020 despite several court orders directing him to submit himself to American authorities.
The matter remained until April 18 when Mr Alonso granted the order to dismiss the case following a request from the government, bringing the criminal case to a close after more than three decades.
It’s unclear whether or not the U.S. government will seize Mr Kashamu’s assets which include investment in gambling business and real estate through the ownership of the Best Western Hotel located in Victoria Island, Lagos.
