Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, is seeking a pardon for a young man who was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010 for allegedly stealing a fowl and eggs. In a statement posted on X.com on Tuesday, Adeleke directed the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to investigate the case and initiate the process of granting the young man a pardon.
Adeleke wrote, “I have received the report of a young man reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a fowl. Consequently, I have directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osun State, to commence a full investigation into the matter and initiate processes to grant the prerogative of mercy to the young man. Osun is a land of justice and equity and must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives. I assure the public that this matter is receiving my direct attention with the utmost urgency.”
The case drew widespread attention after the parents of the victim, in an interview with Nigerian actress Biola Adebayo, claimed that Olowookere had been wrongfully arrested by officials from the Osun police command. The parents, Olanrewaju and Folashade Olowookere, revealed that their son, who was 17 at the time of his arrest and has spent over 14 years in prison since his sentencing, does not eat chicken because his mother raises broilers, further suggesting his innocence.
