GistReel

The Osun State High Court has refuted claims that it sentenced a man to death for stealing a fowl.

In a statement titled “Setting the Record Straight,” dated December 20 and signed by Chief Registrar Omisade F.I, the court dismissed the allegations as baseless and aimed at tarnishing the image of the judiciary and its officials.

Media reports had alleged that Olowookere Segun was sentenced to death for stealing a fowl, a narrative the court described as “mischievous and misleading.”

Addressing the claims, the court clarified: “Our attention has been drawn to news circulating that a young man, Olowookere Segun, was sentenced to death on December 17, 2014, by the Osun State High Court, Ikirun Judicial Division, presided over by Hon. Justice S.O. Falola. The facts of the case have been distorted and maliciously misrepresented. The public has been misled to believe that this individual was sentenced to death for stealing a single fowl.”

The judiciary condemned the reports, attributing them to “mischief-makers” and calling them “intellectually bankrupt.”

It explained that under Nigerian law, the death penalty applies to armed robbery when the accused is proven to have used a weapon.

“It is common knowledge that no one can be sentenced to death for stealing a fowl or even a large sum of money unless the crime involved the use of arms,” the statement clarified.

Offering further details, the court revealed that Olowookere Segun and his accomplice, Morakinyo Sunday, were arrested in April 2010 for a series of armed robberies, including an armed robbery at a poultry in Oyan town, Osun State.

Weapons were recovered from the suspects, who later confessed to their crimes. Following a trial that spanned from February 11, 2013, to December 17, 2014, they were convicted of armed robbery.

The court also corrected misinformation about the age of the accused, noting that Olowookere Segun was 19 years old at the time of his arrest, while his accomplice, Morakinyo Sunday, was 18.

The judiciary underscored that the trial judge adhered to the law in delivering the mandatory death sentence for armed robbery.

However, the judge also recommended the convicts for clemency, reflecting a humane approach. “In a display of magnanimity and fatherly disposition, the trial judge followed the law and also recommended them for the Governor’s mercy,” the statement added.

The court urged the public to avoid spreading false information and respect the integrity of the judiciary.