Oshiomhole’s Aide: Why 2 convicted robbers must die

Dr Osagie Obayuwana, the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Osagie Obayuwana on Friday said that Governor Adams Oshiomhole has acted within the law by signing the execution of two condemned armed robbers.

Obayuwana made the statement in Benin while reacting to international criticisms trailing Oshiomhole’s signing of death warrants of the two persons convicted for murder. Obayuwana said that “Oshiomhole acted within the law”.

The two convicts, whose sentences were confirmed by the Supreme Court 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 the trial in court as a “mistake”.

But the Supreme Court in affirming his death sentence in 2004, said “the likes of Aiguohian belong 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.

Oshiomhole, according to sources, also reviewed the death sentences of four other convicts and commuted the sentences of two life imprisonment while two others were set free.

The prison authorities in their report to the State Government concerning the recent jail break at Oko Prison in Benin, had indicated that the continued imprisonment of condemned persons in prisons in the state constituted great risk as they had often been the arrow-head of jail breaks by prisoners.

The gallows at the Benin Prison was being prepared for the execution of the condemned prisoners whose death warrants had been signed by the governor.

However, the date of their execution was not known.

Meanwhile, human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have criticised Oshiomhole’s signing of the death warrants.

They claimed that most nations, including African countries, now commute death sentences to life imprisonment. (NAN)