A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Mutalubi Ojo Adebayo, has clarified that Olowookere Segun, who is being considered for amnesty by Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, was convicted as an armed robber, not a petty thief. Segun was sentenced to death in 2010 alongside his accomplice, Morakinyo Sunday, for breaking into the home of a police officer, Mr. Balogun Tope, while armed with a cutlass and a Dane gun.
In a statement dated December 18, 2024, Adebayo debunked claims that Segun’s conviction was related to petty theft, specifically the theft of a fowl. He described such reports as “a pure lie and cheap blackmail,” designed to manipulate public opinion and facilitate Segun’s release through dubious means.
“I have just read the press release by the Spokesperson to the Governor of Osun State, Mallam Olawale Rasheed,” Adebayo stated. “Governments at all levels and the general public should not allow bloggers and internet idlers to mislead them to unnecessarily harass, vilify, and attack the judiciary through dissemination of half-truths and outright lies.”
Adebayo emphasized that Segun was a member of a notorious gang of armed robbers that terrorized the Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State before his arrest, trial, and eventual sentencing. He pointed out that the trial was fair, and there had been no appeal against the judgment in the 14 years since it was delivered.
While acknowledging the constitutional right of governors and the president to grant pardons, Adebayo condemned any attempts to question or investigate the judiciary’s decisi ons regarding Segun’s case. “It is however unconstitutional for any Governor or President to investigate the circumstances under which any judge delivered his judgment and or the reason(s) and or propriety or otherwise of the judgment,” he stated.
He further criticized the online harassment of judges, noting that such actions expose them to risks and undermine the judiciary’s independence. “We must avoid exposing our judges to dangers and the risk of being attacked by criminals, which can lead to loss of lives,” Adebayo warned.
Concluding, Adebayo acknowledged that Governor Adeleke has the constitutional authority to grant amnesty to Segun and other convicts without providing reasons. However, he urged the governor to respect the judiciary’s independence and sought the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Osun State to advise the governor appropriately.
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