Amosun Grants Amnesty To 7 Prisoners

OGUN STATE GOVERNOR, SENATOR IBIKUNLE AMOSUN

SAN FRANCISCO, January 25, (THEWILL) - Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has granted amnesty to seven prisoners serving different jail terms in the state.
 
In a statement signed by Mrs. Funmi Wakama, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the Governor, Amosun announced the pardon "after consultation with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, as prescribed by Section 212 (2) of the 1999 Constitution".
 
The governor commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence passed on Messrs Rasidi Yisau and Saburi Adebayo, ordered the release of Ibrahim Yinusa and Olanrewaju John who were among "prisoners serving sentences of 3 years and above with twelve months yet to serve with record of good conduct", Kayode Adeyemi who was in the bracket of "prisoners who are 60 years and above",   Monday Iheakpo and Semiu Afolabi who belonged to the group of "long term prisoners who have
served more than 10 years with good records."
 
Senator Amosun charged those freed to continue to be of good conduct as they return to the society.
 
He described prisons as reformatory centres and deplored the situation where people become worse off after a prison spell. He also called on citizens not to stigmatise ex-convicts but assist their full integration into the society.
 
Section 212 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides that the Governor may "(a) grant any person concerned with or convicted of any offence created by any Law of a State a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions;
 
"(b) grant to any person a respite, either for an indefinite or for a specified period, of the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence;
 
"(c) substitute a less severe form of punishment for any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence; or
 
"(d) remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or of any penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the State on account of such an offence."