An X user, identified as Ridwan Oke, has expressed strong disapproval of the decision by the Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke, to pardon a man who was sentenced to death for stealing a fowl. Oke raised his concerns publicly in a tweet on Wednesday, emphasizing the gravity of the crime committed and questioning the Governor's decision to intervene in the case.
In his tweet, Oke clarified that the convicted individual was not merely found guilty of theft but was convicted of armed robbery, a crime that carries a severe penalty under the law. He pointed out that the law stipulates a clear punishment for armed robbery and that the court had appropriately applied the law in this instance.
Governor Adeleke, in a directive issued on Tuesday, instructed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Osun State to carry out a thorough investigation into the case and to begin the process of granting prerogative of mercy to the young man. The Governor's decision has sparked mixed reactions, with some viewing it as a humanitarian gesture and others, like Oke, criticizing it as undermining the judicial system.
Oke, however, maintained that the court's decision was justified, as the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to establish the accused's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He asserted that all the necessary legal elements required to prove the offence were met, and the sentencing was therefore in accordance with the law.
He further argued that the use of weapons, such as a cutlass and a gun, in the commission of the robbery demonstrated the serious nature of the crime. According to him, whether the object of the robbery was a fowl or a pencil, the use of such dangerous weapons posed a significant threat to human life. Oke stressed that anyone capable of using a cutlass or a gun in a robbery is also capable of taking a life if faced with resistance.
“Except you actually want to pardon everyone who has been found guilty of armed robbery, the law is clear as to the punishment for Armed robbery," Oke wrote. "The Prosecution proved their case along with every ingredients necessary to prove the offence and the Judge was right to convict them and sentence them to death. The offence was committed using a cutlass and a Gun.”
He continued, “Anyone using a cutlass and a Gun to commit robbery whether to steal a fowl or a pencil is capable of killing for that fowl or pencil if they found anyone in their way and that’s exactly what would have happened to the owner of the house they robbed if that one had been overpowered.”
