NIGERIA: ONDO GOVERNOR PARDONS FOUR DEATH ROW INMATES

October 1, 2009: the Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, commuted the death sentences on four people to jail terms to mark Nigeria’s 49th independent anniversary.
Sunday Eweje and Sunday John will now serve 21 years jail term each for murder.
Ayodele Bunmi and Alonge Temitope were sentenced to death for armed robbery and stealing N500,000,00 and will now spend 27 years in jail.
The Governor gave the order based on the recommendations made by the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
Five other convicts were also set free by the governor.
"The orders were made not to reward or encourage crime, but to offer the beneficiaries another opportunity to turn a new leaf," Mr Mimiko said. He therefore admonished them "to regard the mercy shown on them as a mark of benevolence of God to them and our country, whose independence anniversary we are celebrating." (Sources: 234Next.com, 02/10/2009)