Oyo: Ajimobi grants 13 prisoners amnesty

Category: News Published on Monday, 25 February 2013 17:14

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has granted amnesty to 13 prisoners of the Agodi Prisons, in commemoration of this year’s Eid-el-Maulud celebrations.
 
A statement issued on Monday by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo Ojo, said that eight of the prisoners, who had been on death row, had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment.
 
The remaining five, who had been serving jail terms, were granted total freedom by the governor.
 
The prisoners, who regained their freedom, are Ibrahim Wakili, Ismaila Mufutau, Sina Aborisade, Asimiyu Alabi and Oluseyi Akande.
 
Those who had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment included Musiliu Suleiman, Sgt. Paul Faforiji, Mathew Johnson,  Funso Olanipekun, Asimiyu Babatunde,          Olabode Emmanuel, Olusina Ajayi and Obasi Onyeye.
 
According to Ojo, the granting of the amnesty was in the exercise of the power conferred on the governor by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and subject to the advice of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
 
``Under section 212(1) of the constitution, the governor is empowered to pardon, free, grant respite or substitute a severe punishment with lesser one as a form of amnesty for the convicts,’’ he said.