The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, has pardoned 15 inmates in prisons across the state to commemorate Democracy Day.
The Governor commuted death sentences passed on nine inmates to life imprisonment and freed six others who had less than one year to serve their terms having been certified by the prison officials to have been reformed.
Amosun, while addressing the inmates on Wednesday, said that Democracy Day was a time to ponder on further ways of bridging the gap between Government and the people and reflect more on practical ways of improving on their living conditions, irrespective of their status.
“We have chosen today, being Democracy Day, to interact with you as leaders and see how we can improve your living conditions,” he told them.
The Governor – who carried out the exercise in accordance with the advice of the Commission on Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of the State, Mrs Abimbola Akeredolu – advised the pardoned inmates to shun all vices that brought them to prison and inculcate new morals worthy of emulation as they return to the society.
The states helmsman, who was not satisfied with the conditions of the inmates, particularly those at Abeokuta New Prisons, gave relief materials, such as bags of rice and cash donations to all the prisons he visited and also ordered that immediate medical attention be given to the sick inmates.
He also promised that the State Government would do all that was necessary and interface with the Judiciary to ensure that inmates awaiting trial get quick justice, adding that his administration would work on building hospitals within the premises of the prisons in the state.
The Governor was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, Ogun State Controller of Prisons, Mr. Olanrele Joseph and some members of the State Executive Council.
