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OSUN STATE, Nigeria — Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has announced state pardon for 53 convicts, including six sentenced to death for capital offences.
This was contained in a statement by the spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, in Osogbo.
He said the decision was in line with the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
Those pardoned were put into three categories of simple offences, pardoned on health grounds and outright released for good conduct.
Also pardoned were Segun Olowokere and Sunday Morakinyo who were sentenced to death by an Osun State High Court sitting in Okuku, for armed robbery in year 2014.
Rasheed said the letter of commutation from Adeleke dated December 24, 2024, has been received and acknowledged by the relevant prison authorities.
Quoting the letter, the statement party read further, “And whereas: following the recommendation made to me by the state advisory council on the prerogative of mercy that I should exercise my power in relation to the said inmates, to mark the 2024 Christmas celebration.
“And whereas: in the case of the 30 inmates convicted of simple offences, I have decided, in accordance with the said recommendation, to remit and forgive the remainder of the said sentences in whole.
“And whereas: I have decided, in accordance with the said recommendation, to grant outright pardon to 12 inmates convicted of simple offences.
“Four convicts have their sentences commuted from death to outright pardon. Whereas: I have decided in accordance with the said recommendation to commute the sentences as follows;
“One convict has his sentence commuted from death to 15 years imprisonment.
“Six convicts have their sentences commuted from death to outright release.
“Now know therefore that, I Senator Ademola Jackson Adeleke, the Governor of Osun State of Nigeria, 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 unto the said inmates.
“My will and pleasure thereof is that you commute the death, life and years of imprisonment as indicated herewith in the schedule.”
Apart from Olowokere, Morakinyo and Ojekunle, others pardoned include: Oluwafemi Fagbemi, Bewaji Sunday, Amehin George, Ayomide Arulogun, Taiwo Oluwatobi Stephen, Abubakar Abdulazeez.
Others include: Olubo Sunday, Isah Umar Abiodun, Fawas Kareem, Omirin Temitayo, Olanrewaju Ayomide, Dare Sunday, Oladapo Tunde, Ganiyu Saheed, Adewumi Sodiq, Adebayo Adeoye Kehinde, Lasisi Kareem, Dauda Ojo, Ismaila Raji, Oseni Michael, Ajayi Korede, Abiona Nurudeen, Oshi Samuel, Sheu Yusuf Olatunji, Ojo Aanu, Mustapa Kehinde, Lasisi Abeeb, Alexander Iorlaha, Ojo Taiwo, Azeez Mujeeb, Akinyemi David, Adeosun Adekunle, Olaobaju Samuel, Adura Adefemi, Paul Basil and Kunle David, to mention but few.
