Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has granted clemency to 53 convicts, including Segun Olowookere, who was sentenced to death for stealing a fowl, and his accomplice, Sunday Morakinyo. This decision follows the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
In a statement shared on Thursday, Governor Adeleke outlined the exercise of his constitutional powers under Section 212 of the Nigerian Constitution to grant outright pardons, commute sentences, and remit punishments for convicts serving various terms in the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Among the pardons granted, 30 inmates convicted of simple offences had their sentences fully remitted, while 12 others received outright pardons. Six convicts on death row were either released outright or had their sentences commuted. Notably, Ojekunle Timothy’s death sentence was reduced to 15 years imprisonment after spending a decade in custody.
Olowookere and Morakinyo, arrested in 2010 for burglary and theft, were sentenced to death in 2014 by Justice Falola of the Osun State High Court. They were found guilty of breaking into a police officer’s home and stealing personal property, including a fowl.
Governor Adeleke’s decision has been widely commended, including praise from Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who lauded the governor for his intervention in what has become a symbolic case of justice and mercy.
This act of clemency comes as part of Governor Adeleke’s efforts to uphold justice and fairness while addressing long-standing cases that have raised public concerns.
