Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking a pardon for a young man sentenced to death by hanging in 2010 for allegedly stealing a chicken and eggs. In a statement posted on X.com, Adeleke instructed the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice to investigate the matter and start the pardoning process.
He stated, “I have received reports about a young man who was reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a chicken.”
I have instructed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun State to conduct a thorough investigation and begin the process of granting clemency to the young man. “Osun is a place of justice and fairness, and we must protect the sanctity of life. I assure the public that this issue is receiving my urgent attention,” he added.
The case has gained significant attention after the parents of the victim, Olanrewaju and Folashade Olowookere, claimed in an interview with actress Biola Adebayo that their son was wrongfully arrested by the Osun police for a crime he did not commit. They noted that their son, arrested at 17, has spent over 14 years in prison and does not eat chicken, as his mother raises broilers.
The mother recounted, “We later discovered that some students from Segun’s school were in the vehicle and claimed they were arrested for stealing a chicken and some eggs. Honestly, Segun doesn’t eat chicken because I raised broilers. He didn’t try to escape, insisting he knew nothing about the theft. They returned around 9 PM to arrest him. It was only when I visited the police station that I learned who owned the chicken and eggs; he was like a brother to me.”