Gov Adeleke Pardons boy Sentenced to Death for ‘Stealing chicken,’ 52 Others

0
110

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has granted a pardon to Segun Olowookere, who was sentenced to death for armed robbery in the state.

Olowookere, along with his accomplice Sunday Morakinyo, was pardoned, as announced by the governor in a statement on X on Thursday.

A viral claim on social media suggested that the duo had been sentenced to death for stealing a fowl. However, the Osun State Judiciary clarified that they were convicted for armed robbery, including the theft of a poultry in 2010.

Governor Adeleke also revealed that 51 other inmates had been pardoned following recommendations from the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

“In line with the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy and in exercise of the power conferred on me by paragraph (a), (c), and (d) of subsection (i) of section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), I am pleased to extend my grace and mercy to 53 convicts serving various sentences within the Nigerian Correctional Service,” Adeleke said.

He added: “In the case of inmates convicted of simple offences, I have decided, in accordance with the said recommendation, to remit and forgive the remainder of the sentences of the following 30 inmates in full.”

Mr and Mrs Olowookere

They are Olubo Sunday; Isah Umar Biodun; Fawas Kareem; Omirin Temitayo; Olarenwaju Ayomide; Dare Sunday; Oladapo Tunde; Ganiyu Saheed; Adewumi Sodiq; Adebayo Adeoye Kehinde; Lasis Kazeem; Dauda Ojo (59 Years); Ismaila Raji; Oseni Micheal; Ajayi Korede; Abiona Nurudeen; Oshi Samuel; Sheu Yusuf Olatunji; Ojo Aanu; Mustapha Kehinde; Lasis Abeeb; Alexandra Iorlaha; Ojo Taiwo; Azeez Mujeeb;  Akinyemi David; Adeosun Adekunle; Olaobaju Samuel; Adura Adefemi; Paul Basil and Kunle David

“I have also decided, in accordance with the said recommendation, to grant outright pardon to the following 12 inmates convicted of simple offences.” They are Olabomiji Nurudeen; Mustapha Isah; Olalekan Abdullahi; Ayomide Olojede; Akeem Raphael; Adeyemi Abiodun; Oladipupo Segun; Omisakin Sunday; Ademola Adio; Tunde Olapade; Late Chief Wole Ola Rufus Ojo and Omoloye Olajide Olayemi.

Regarding those convicted of more serious crimes, Adeleke stated: “In the case of the following six convicts sentenced to death, I have approved the commutation of their sentence from death to outright release, while Ojekunle Timothy’s sentence has been commuted from death to 15 years’ imprisonment, having spent at least 10 years in custody.” They are Oluwafemi Fagbemi; Bewaji Sunday; Amehin George; Ayomide Arulogun; Taiwo Oluwatobi  Stephen and Abubakar Abdulazeez.

He continued: “The following four convicts also have their sentences commuted from death to outright pardon: Sunday Morakinyo, Segun Olowookere, Tunde Olapade, and Demola Odeyemi.”

Olowookere and Morakinyo were arrested in 2010 for breaking into the homes of a police officer and another individual. In 2014, Justice Falola of the Osun State High Court sentenced them to death by hanging after they were found guilty of stealing from the officer’s residence.