Briton sentenced to death in Nigeria

A 54-year-old Briton has been sentenced to death by a Nigerian court for the murder of his Australian partner.

Ian Millar, who is from Scotland, was convicted last week of murdering 43-year-old Anne Marie Gale.

Lagos High Court heard that the businessman, a long-term resident of Nigeria, killed Ms Gale on 12 April 2002, at their home in Apapa, the port district of Lagos.

Millar, who says he will appeal against the conviction, had pleaded not guilty to the charge.

But after hearing medical evidence and testimony from domestic staff at the couple's home, Justice Grace Onyeabor sentenced him to death by hanging.

Millar was arrested in April last year, but has spent much of the time since the case opened in hospital where he has been treated for diabetes.

Hanging crimes

He has now been sent to the maximum security Kirkiri Prison and can appeal against the sentence within the next ninety days.

Under Nigerian law, the state governor, who must sign the death warrant, can also commute the sentence.

Murder, armed robbery and treason are punishable by hanging in Nigeria, although no sentence has been carried out under common law since military rule ended in 1999.

But last year, under Sharia or Islamic law, which operates in the north of the country, one man was hanged for killing a business woman and her two children.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said it had been informed that an appeal against the sentence would be made.

"This is a matter for his lawyer, but it has been indicated that he will lodge an appeal, although it may not be until February 2004 until an appeal is heard."

She said the Foreign Office would be taking advice on how to proceed in the case.

"We will now be consulting with our honorary legal adviser in Nigeria as to the course of action which will best serve Mr Millar's interests," she said.