Pamela legal team to show court new evidence on death

LAWYERS for a Nigerian mother-of-two fighting deportation are expected to tell the Supreme Court today that they have obtained documents which support her bid to remain here.

Pamela Izevbekhai is also understood to have obtained the advice of lawyers who may seek an adjournment to her landmark case to study new evidence.

The latest twist in Ms Izevbekhai’s fight against her deportation comes as the State seeks to collapse her case with claims she used forged documents which were an “abuse of the court” process.

She is also seeking a stay on her deportation through the European Court of Human Rights and it is understood Strasbourg have written to her legal team seeking a reply to the State’s claims about the forged documents.

One senior source for the State told the Irish Examiner her legal team had been given until yesterday to reply to the queries from the European Court of Human Rights.

Ms Izevbekhai claims her first-born child Elizabeth bled to death in Lagos, Nigeria, after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM).

She fears the same fate may await her two daughters Naomi and Jemima if the family is forced to return to their home country.

The State told the Supreme Court earlier this month that a Garda investigation in Lagos had found forged documents were used in her case and that four new affidavits would prove this. Lawyers want to dismiss her appeal against her deportation.

It is believed at least one barrister and a solicitor are to come off her case today in court. Another solicitor, Kevin Brophy, has been engaged for her case.

Sources said yesterday new documents had been obtained that would back claims about her first-born child, Elizabeth.

Her lawyers asked Supreme Court judges this month for more time as she changed her legal team.

The State has said Izevbekhai’s battle to remain in Ireland since 2005 has been heard on 22 occasions before the High Court.

Meanwhile, a mass deportation coordinated by Irish authorities left for Nigeria last night. Up to 25 Nigerians in Ireland were put on a 250-seater plane. Deportees included men and women as well as parents of children born in Ireland. Deportees from several countries were also aboard the flight, including from Slovakia, Malta, Luxembourg and Spain.

The plane used belonged to Frontex, an EU agency responsible for securing member state borders.