Gov. Amosun Commutes Death Sentence of Two Convicts

The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has commuted the death sentence on two convicts to life imprisonment and ordered the release of three other prisoners.

The two convicts had been sentenced to death last December for armed robbery.

The governor’s gesture was contained in a letter addressed to the Controller of Prisons, Nigerian Prison Service, Ogun State Command, dated February 8, and signed by Funmi Ajayi, Permanent Secretary (Political Affairs and Administration), for the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa.

In an Order of Commutation signed by the governor, Mr. Amosun said written reports in the cases of the said persons received as well as other information derived from the record of the cases and elsewhere, were taken into consideration.

He said after consultation with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, he was exercising his power under sub-section (1) of Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as Amended).

Those ordered to be released are Gbenga Oyeleye, Idowu Olojede and Dare Jimoh, who were imprisoned, following their conviction over criminal charges.

Mr. Oyeleye was serving a three-year sentence and has six months yet to serve, while Mr. Olojede was released on grounds of old age and good record. Mr. Jimoh, a long term convict, also got reprieve for good conduct and good record.

The governor ordered that the death penalty imposed on Nurudeen Suleiman and Isikilu Olamilekan, both males, who were convicted for robbery at the High Court of Ogun State sitting at Ijebu Ode on December 14, 2006, be commuted to life imprisonment.

Mr. Amosun had during his visit to the Ibara Prison in Abeokuta on January 25, as part of activities to mark his 59th birthday, promised to review cases of those who deserved to be pardoned.