Appeal Court for Finland reduce Simon Ekpa six years sentence

Di Court of Appeal for Finland don reduce di six-year prison sentence wey one District Court bin sama on Simon Ekpa afta e find am guilty of terrorism and oda charges, according to information on di court website.

Simon Ekpa, a Nigerian-Finnish citizen, na di leader of di Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), one of di groups wey dey fight for di independence of di eastern region of Nigeria to bicom a separate kontri known as Biafra.

Finnish police bin investigate di case togeda wit Nigerian authorities.

On 1 September 2025, di Päijät-Häme District Court bin sentence Ekpa to six years for prison, but for August dis year, e appeal di judgement as im lawyers tok say di six years sentence dey too much for di charges wey court find am guilty of.

For dia judgement, di Appeal Court uphold di decision of di District Court say Ekpa true true dey guilty of terrorism-related crimes, however, dem reduce di amount of time Ekpa go spend behind bars from six years to four.

Di three justices wey resolve dis mata for di Finland Court of Appeal na Judges Aki Rasilainen, Antti Santaranta, and Assistant Judge Johanna Puukka.

For di judgement of di Päijät-Häme District Court for September last year, dem hold say Ekpa bin dey participate for terrorist organisation and say e bin dey publicly incite pipo to commit crime for terrorism purpose.

Di court say Ekpa bin dey use im huge following for social media to dey cause tension for di south-eastern region of Nigeria betwin August 2021 and November 2024.

However, for di judgement of di Appeal Court, dem say dem consider di situations surrounding Simon Ekpa actions and dem agree say di situation for di eastern region of Nigeria resemble civil war, but e no meet di definition.

Ekpa lawyers bin argue for di Appeal Court say im involvement for di situation for eastern Nigeria no be for terrorism intention but na bicos of di political katakata wey follow di Biafra struggle.

For dia argument, lawyers to di Biafran separatist tok say instead of national terrorism offenses legislation, na di international humanitarian law suppose apply for im case.

But di prosecutors for di case bin ask di court to increase di prison sentence as dem tok say six years too small and e no show di seriousness of di crimes wey Ekpa bin commit.

Wit dis judgement of di Finland Court of Appeal, e mean say Simon Ekpa go regain im freedom at least by September of 2029 instead of 2031.

Local media for Finland also report say Ekpa supporters bin attend di hearing wearing t-shirts wit im picture and di words #FreeSimonEkpa.

Di decision of di court of appeal no be final, so di prosecutors fit still appeal dis judgement to di Supreme Court wey be di fi­nal in­stance for civil, com­mer­cial and crim­i­nal mat­as.

Who be Simon Ekpa

Simon Ekpa bin start out as talented athlete wey bin represent Nigeria for international competitions.

E bin represent Nigeria for di 2003 Africa U20 Championships, competing for di 100m race, long jump and triple jump wia e win silver medal.

Na dis talent carry am go Europe, wia tori be say e meet one talent scout for Finland wey convince am to switch allegiance to di kontri.

Ekpa, now a Finland passport holder, compete for di Finnish Indoor Championships for February 2009, and di Helsinki 4 Athletics GP for August of di same year wia e win di 100 metres race wit personal best of 11.10 seconds.

But a bad knee injury later make am abandon sports.

E settle for Lahti region wia e meet im wife Marianne Säkäjärvi and dem get one son bifor di marriage end.

Im journey to politics for Finland start for 2012 according to wetin e tell tori pipo for one interview for March 2024.

Ekpa bin meet one man Ben Zyskowicz during one municipal election campaign for Lahti market, and na dia discussion make am get interest for politics.

As at May 2025 wen Finnish authorities first charge Ekpa to court, im name still dey as member of di public transit board for Lahti, and e belong to di National Coalition Party wey be di same political party as di Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo.

Ekpa bin don formerly serve for three other local administrative boards, including as chairman of di Playground Board for im Lahti region.