Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has instructed the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the reported death sentence of a young man in the state for stealing a fowl.
In a statement shared on X on Tuesday, Adeleke expressed his concern over the matter and directed the attorney general and commissioner for justice to initiate the process of granting the young man a prerogative of mercy.
Adeleke wrote, “I have received the report of a case of a young man reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a fowl.
“Consequently, I have directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osun State, to commence a full investigation into the matter and initiate processes to grant prerogative of mercy to the young man.
“Osun is a land of justice and equity and must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives. I assure members of the public that this matter is receiving my direct attention with every sense of urgency also attached to our response to the matter.”
The case, which has drawn significant attention, is said to involve a young man who was arrested in 2010 and sentenced to death by hanging in 2014 after being found guilty of stealing a fowl. The incident has sparked debates over the harshness of the punishment for what many consider a relatively minor offense.
Commenting on the governor’s statement, #Uncle_Olu_ wrote on X, “Imagine a country where someone spent 14 years in jail and was sentenced to death by hanging because he stole fowl. Fowl… but someone who stole over N80b was just given a N500m fine.”
Meanwhile, #Sholisea tweeted, “Sentencing someone to death because he stole a fowl is the height of it in this country.”
Others have pointed out that theft alone does not typically warrant a death sentence unless accompanied by additional factors, such as the use of weapons, which would qualify it as armed robbery.
Sharing a 2014 news report on the case, #TheYemiKing wrote on X, “Even if you steal ₦20 and you carry a knife, it’s armed robbery. The case is from 2014. The judge must give a death sentence, as that’s what the law says.
“But the judge recommended that the governor can commute the death sentence. Why didn’t Aregbe?”
#egi_nupe also commented, “No court will sentence you to death for stealing a fowl. Stealing is not a death sentence. However, if the man is harmed with either a knife, gun, iron rod, machete, or gun while stealing, that’s armed robbery, and it’s a death sentence if found guilty.”
