By
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has granted forgiveness to Segun Olowookere and his accomplice, Sunday Morakinyo, who were sentenced to death for armed robbery in 2014.
The pardon, announced on Thursday, follows recommendations by the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
The case, which recently sparked public outrage, gained attention after claims surfaced on social media that the duo had been sentenced to death for stealing a fowl.
However, the Osun State High Court has clarified that Olowookere and Morakinyo were convicted of armed robbery, including an incident at a poultry farm in 2010, and not merely for theft.
In a statement, the court labeled the viral claims as “distorted and maliciously misrepresented,” emphasizing that the convicts were part of a series of armed robberies in Oyan town and its surrounding areas.
The governor’s clemency extended to 51 other inmates, including individuals convicted of various crimes, as part of a broader exercise of his constitutional powers.
“In line with the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy and in exercise of the power conferred on me by Section 212 of the Constitution, I am pleased to extend my grace and mercy unto 53 convicts serving various sentences,” Adeleke stated.
Olowookere and Morakinyo, who were convicted of breaking into the homes of a police officer and another individual, were among those granted outright pardon.
The pair had initially been sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Falola of the Osun State High Court.
