Federal High Court
By Shade Damiro
After spending14 yeas awaiting trial, A Nigerian court sitting in Okuku in Osun state has sentenced two to death for stealing fowls belonging to a police officer
The convicts, Olowookere Segun and Morakinyo Sunday were alleged to have attacked the home of Mr. Balogun Tope, a police officer attached to Divisional Police Headquarters, Okuku, Osun State in April 2010.
During the attack, the convicts came with cutlass and a dane gun.
In his judgment after hearing from the prosecution and the defence counsel, Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court, Okuku sentenced the two robbers to death after finding them guilty of forcefully breaking into Tope’s house, and carting away some of his belongings.
The prosecution, led by the state Solicitor-General, Mrs. Abiola Adewemimo charged them with conspiracy, robbery and stealing contrary to Section 6(b) and 1(2)(a) of the Robbery and Firearm (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R 11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section (390)(1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State, 2002.
The prosecutor invited six witnesses and tendered several exhibits during the prosecution. She told the court that on November 13, 2010, some men were sighted around Tope’s home armed with cutlass and a dane gun, adding that two of them were arrested while the others escaped.
During interrogation, the convicts who confessed that they had been in the complainant’s house earlier to steal allegedly told the investigating police officer that they stole the complainant’s fowls.
“They also stated that they had earlier robbed Alhaja Umani Oyewo in her house and stole broilers, eggs and kegs of vegetable oil from the house,” the state Solicitor-General told the court.
Justice Falola sentenced the accused to death for conspiracy; life sentence for robbery, and three years imprisonment for stealing. The judge also recommended that the governor can decide to commute the death sentence to 10 years imprisonment, considering the ages of the convicts.
In a related development, Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, is seeking to pardon Segun Olowookere who was sentenced to death by hanging for stealing a chicken and eggs in 2010.
Recall that in an interview with Biola Adebayo, a Nigerian actress, the parents of the victim claimed that police officers from the Osun command arrested Olowookere for an offence he did not commit.
Olowookere Olanrewaju, the man’s father, said a divisional police officer (DPO) asked him to pay N30,000 for his son’s release, but N20,000 was all he could raise at the time.
“We are here to beg Nigerians to help us. In 2010, I was at the shop where I was renting out cassettes, and at about 11am, some police officers came around,” he said.
“We later found out some students from Segun’s school were in their vehicle and they said they were arrested because of the theft of a chicken and eggs.
“Truth be told, Segun does not eat chicken. Because I trained broilers. He refused to run away, telling us that he didn’t know anything about the theft of the chicken.
“They came back around 9pm in the night and he was eventually arrested. It was when I visited the station that I knew who owned the chicken and eggs. He was just like a brother to me.
“I was told by the DPO in charge to bring N30,000 so my son could be released but after running around, all I could raise was N20,000 which he refused to collect.”
Folashade Olowookere, mother of the victim, said her son, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, has now spent over 14 years in prison since he was sentenced.
In a statement on Wednesday, Adeleke directed the attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Osun to commence a full probe into the matter.
“I have received the report of a case of a young man reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a fowl,” the statement reads.
“Consequently, I have directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Osun State to commence 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 members of the public that this matter is receiving my direct attention with every sense of urgency also attached to our response to the matter.”
