Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has ordered a review of the case of a 17-year-old sentenced to death by hanging for stealing a fowl, directing the state’s Attorney General to investigate and ensure the teenager is considered for a pardon before the end of the year.
In a statement issued Tuesday by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke called for swift action on the case, following reports that the teenager, Segun Olowookere, was convicted and sentenced to death for robbing a poultry farm in Oyan, in the Odo-Otin local government area.
“I have received the report of a young man reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a fowl,” the governor said in a post on his X handle. “Consequently, I have directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to commence a full investigation into the matter and initiate processes to grant the prerogative of mercy.”
Adeleke emphasized the need for fairness and justice, stating, “Osun is a land of justice and equity and must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives.” He assured the public that the matter was receiving his direct attention and would be handled with urgency.
Olowookere, who was 17 at the time of the crime, was convicted by an Osun State High Court in Ikirun for stealing a fowl and eggs from a poultry farm. He is currently imprisoned at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos.
His parents, who have appealed for clemency, also urged the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, to intervene in the case. Olowookere is the only son of his parents, who have pleaded with the governor for amnesty.
The governor’s office confirmed that the review process is underway, with a decision expected before the year’s end.
