Funke Busari, Lagos
A prisoner on death row in Lagos State has been pardoned by the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday.
The ex-convict is set for release and will no longer die by the hangman’s noose.
Three inmates are also to serve lesser punishments.
The approvals for the state pardon and commuttal order, according to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, are in response to the recommendations of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy set up by the governor.
Through a statement, signed by Kayode Oyekanmi, the Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of Justice, he informed that the Commissioner of Justice gave an indication that the Lagos State Governor had given approval for the release of one convicted inmate and the death sentence hanging on two inmates have been converted to life imprisonment.
He added that the jail term of one other inmate has also been reduced to 18 years imprisonment.
Mr. Onigbanjo explained that the signed documents of approval by Governor Sanwo-Olu have been presented to Correctional Centres in the State for immediate processing.
Recall that the state’s Chief Security Officer Mr. Sanwo-Olu had inaugurated an eight-member State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, headed by Dr. Abayomi Finnih in December 2019 and had in year 2020, approved the release of 265 inmates in Correctional Centres in the State.
