SAN Warns Governor Adeleke Over Plan To Pardon Robbery Convict
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mutalubi Adebayo, has cautioned Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke against plans to pardon a convicted robbery suspect, emphasizing the need to uphold judicial integrity.
The case involves Olowookere Segun and Morakinyo Sunday, who were sentenced to death by hanging in 2014 for armed robbery. They were found guilty of using a Dane gun, cutlasses, and other weapons to rob a police officer and residents of Odo-Otin Local Government Area in 2010.
The case recently gained public attention following claims from the family of one convict that he was sentenced to death for stealing a fowl, leading to widespread sympathy online.
In response to the public outcry, Governor Adeleke, through a statement by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, announced that he had ordered an investigation into the case and potential pardoning actions.
Reacting to the governor’s directive, Adebayo issued a statement warning against misinformation. “Governments and the public must not allow bloggers and internet idlers to mislead them into unnecessarily harassing or vilifying the judiciary with half-truths and outright lies,” he said.
He described the narrative that the convict was sentenced to death for stealing a fowl as “a pure lie and cheap blackmail” aimed at securing the convict’s release through unorthodox means.
The SAN urged caution in handling the matter to preserve public confidence in the judiciary and the rule of law.
