Government welcomes overturning of woman's death sentence

An Islamic appeals court in Nigeria has overturned a death sentence handed down to a 32-year-old woman who was convicted of adultery in March last year.

Amina Lawal was due to be put to death by stoning after giving birth to a daughter two years after divorcing her husband, but she won her appeal today.

The case sparked an international outcry and the Irish Government was among several organisations which called for the death sentence to be quashed.

Responding to today’s development, Fine Gael TD Gay Mitchell said he hoped the Nigerian authorities would not take any further action against Ms Lawal.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has also welcomed the overturning of the death sentence, saying it hoped the move would bring an end to Ms Lawal’s ordeal.