Ondo State Governor Fortunate Aiyedatiwa has pardoned 40 jail inmates.
This, the governor mentioned, is to show his administration’s dedication to justice reform and reintegrating convicts into society.
In keeping with the state’s Lawyer Normal and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Olukayode Ajulo (SAN), the pardon highlights the governor’s dedication to mercy and rehabilitation.
The pardons, granted on the advice of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, embrace the outright launch of 15 convicts efficient Sunday, 12 January 2025.
A press release titled, “Aiyedatiwa Pardons 40 Prisoners to Have a good time sixtieth Birthday,” and signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed the event.
Earlier, PUNCH On-line reported that President Bola Tinubu congratulated Aiyedatiwa, whose sixtieth birthday falls on the identical day.
Along with the releases, a number of dying sentences had been commuted to life imprisonment, whereas different inmates had their sentences considerably lowered.
Dr Ajulo, who additionally chairs the advisory council, defined that these selections had been knowledgeable by cautious deliberations, contemplating the character of offences, the inmates’ age, well being, behaviour, and length of incarceration.
“This compassionate gesture underscores Aiyedatiwa’s unwavering dedication to extending grace and mercy to those convicts,” Ajulo acknowledged.
“It represents a significant part of his administration’s ongoing justice sector reforms. The signing of the discharge orders coincides with the governor’s sixtieth birthday, marking a big event with an act of grace,” the assertion mentioned.
The governor’s act of mercy coincided with a sombre second for the state, because the governor selected to forgo birthday celebrations in honour of the late Secretary to the State Authorities, Tayo Oluwatuyi (Tukana), who passed away last weekend.
“Governor Aiyedatiwa’s actions align with Part 212 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which empowers state governors to train the prerogative of mercy.
“The Council’s suggestions had been enriched by insights from correctional authorities, authorized specialists, and revered neighborhood leaders, guaranteeing equity and compassion within the decision-making course of,” the assertion added.