A Finnish Court of Appeal has reduced the prison sentence of Biafran separatist figure Simon Ekpa from six years to four years while upholding his conviction on terrorism-related charges.
Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported the development on Thursday, stating that the appellate court maintained the decision of the Päijät-Häme District Court, which convicted Ekpa last year.
The case stemmed from allegations linked to his activities in support of establishing an independent Biafran state in southeastern Nigeria.
In its earlier ruling, the district court found that Ekpa had used his substantial social media following to fuel tensions in the region between August 2021 and November 2024.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, Ekpa appealed, seeking to overturn both his conviction and prison sentence.
However, the appeal court upheld his conviction while reducing the term of imprisonment after considering the circumstances surrounding his conduct.
In its ruling, the appeal court noted that the situation in the Biafran region bore similarities to a civil war but did not meet the legal definition of one.
Ekpa had argued during the proceedings that his actions were not driven by terrorist intent, pointing instead to the political turmoil surrounding the Biafran separatist movement.
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Despite his defence, the appellate court upheld the findings that led to his conviction.
Prosecutor Also Challenged Sentence
The prosecution had separately appealed the district court’s decision, arguing that the original six-year prison term was insufficient given the seriousness of the offences.
The appeal court subsequently reduced Ekpa’s sentence to four years but left his conviction intact.
The ruling therefore changes the length of his prison term without overturning the district court’s finding of guilt on the terrorism-related charges.
