With Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second anniversary approaching, the parents of Segun Olowookere, an indigene of Osun State, have requested clemency.
Segun, detained at Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos State, was convicted of robbery at the age of 17 and sentenced to d3ath by an Osun State High Court in Ikirun.
The conviction stemmed from a robbery at a poultry farm in Oyan, located in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, where Segun was found guilty of stealing a fowl and eggs.
His parents have expressed their devastation, stating that he is their only son and pleading for his life to be spared.
In addition to appealing to Adeleke, the family has reached out to the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, seeking his intervention in the matter.
They are hopeful that their son’s young age at the time of the crime and the circumstances surrounding the case will be taken into consideration.
Segun’s mother, Folashade Olowookere, has been particularly vocal in her plea.
She has urged the governor to use his power of amnesty to grant her son a second chance.
According to her, the weight of the punishment far outweighs the crime committed, especially given the minimal value of the items involved.
“I want to plead with our amiable governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke to please use his office to release my son.
“We have sold our properties to secure his release since he was convicted in 2014. He is a brilliant boy who has a brighter future ahead of him. We must not allow him to waste the peak of his life within the four walls of the prison.
“The Speaker of the House of Assembly is from our town, we also plead for his intervention on this case.
“Also, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice should also help us. Segun has a promising future and can be useful to society,” the mother pleaded.
Segun’s father, Olanrewaju Olowookere, who also pleaded for mercy for his son, said Segun was never involved in a crime.
The father claimed that his son was arrested in his shop while playing with some of his friends, saying the arrest was a setup.
He said, “At this point, all we need is the assistance of His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke to grant amnesty to our son.
“We have been in grief since he was sentenced. We have not experienced any kind of happiness. Nobody will be happy seeing his only son in jail.”