Oshiomhole under fire for signing death warrants

Criticisms on Friday trailed the signing of death warrants of two convicted murderers by the Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

However, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osagie Obayuwana, while defending the governor’s action, said he acted within the orbit of the law as the two convicts deserved to die.

The two convicts whose sentences were confirmed by the Supreme Court, according to report, are Osaremwinda Aiguohian and Daniel Nsofor.

Aiguohian, who was said to have killed his victim and dismembered the body had described his action in his defence during trial in court as a “mistake” but the Supreme Court in affirming his death sentenced in 2004, said “the likes of Aiguohian belongs to Hades.”

The second convict,  Nsofor, who also had his death sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court was said to have strangled a woman to death after taking her money.

Oshiomhole, in exercising his Prerogative of Mercy, was said to have considered the cases of the two convicts as too heinous and therefore signed their death warrants to enable them face execution by hanging.

The report also had it that Oshiomhole however, reviewed the death sentences of four other convicts and commuted the sentences of two to life imprisonment while the two others were set free.

It was learnt that the prison authorities in their report to the state government concerning the recent jailbreak at Oko Prison, Benin had indicated that the continued imprisonment of condemned persons in prisons in the state constituted great risk as they have often been the arrowheads of jailbreak by prisoners.

It was also gathered that the gallows at the Benin Prison was being prepared for the execution of the condemned two prisoners whose death warrants have been signed by Oshiomhole but the date of their execution was not, however, known.

Meanwhile, Human Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have criticised Oshiomhole’s signing of the death warrants and said to be warming up for war with the governor, saying most countries, including some African countries, now commute death sentences to life imprisonment.

Source: Daily Independent