A social media user, identified as Ridwan Oke, has criticized Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for pardoning a man who was sentenced to 14 years in prison for stealing a fowl.
In a tweet posted on Wednesday, Oke clarified that the individual was not merely convicted for theft but for armed robbery. He highlighted that the law is explicit about the severe punishment associated with such crimes.
Earlier, Governor Adeleke had instructed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun State to conduct a detailed review of the case and initiate the clemency process for the convict.
Oke, however, argued that the prosecution had thoroughly proven its case, satisfying all legal requirements to substantiate the charge. He maintained that the judge’s decision to impose the death penalty was appropriate under the circumstances.
He emphasized that using dangerous weapons like a cutlass and a gun during a robbery creates a significant risk, regardless of the value of the stolen item.
He wrote, “Unless the goal is to pardon every person convicted of armed robbery, the law is clear on the punishment for such offenses.
“The prosecution successfully established its case, meeting all the elements required to prove the crime, and the judge was right in convicting the individual and sentencing them to death.
“The offense involved the use of a cutlass and a gun. Anyone who uses these weapons to commit robbery—whether for a fowl or a pencil—is capable of taking a life. If the homeowner had resisted, they likely would have been harmed or killed.”
