26 inmates condemned to death in Ondo state have been pardoned by the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
The governor granted the pardon on Friday to commemorate the 61st anniversary of Nigeria’s independence.
Also pardoned by the state governor were 18 other convicts who were serving various sentences across correctional facilities in the state.
Governor Akeredolu urged residents of the state to accept the freed prisoners back into society, while charging them to be of good conduct and behaviour.
The pardon was disclosed by the Chief Press Secretary of the state governor, who stated that he was exercising his power of Prerogative of Mercy as enshrined in Section 212(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
The statement reads: “In exercise of the powers conferred on him by paragraph (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as Amended, Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has granted State pardon to 18 convicted inmates.
“The Governor also commuted to life imprisonment, twenty-six (26) other inmates who were condemned to death by the various Courts in the state.”
The pardoned convicts were said to shown remorse and good conduct at the correctional facilities, hence their consideration to be released.
