The Ogun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade, SAN, has said the state will proceed cautiously with death sentences, carrying out only the most serious cases while reviewing others for possible redemption, citing the irreversible nature of capital punishment.
He stated this on Friday during an exclusive interview on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, monitored by our correspondent in Abeokuta.
Ogungbade insisted that the state remains committed to enforcing the law, but with careful scrutiny of individual cases.
Recall that last year the state witnessed an increase in the cases of violent crimes including ritual killings, kidnapping, and many others.
The Attorney General stated that because of the finality of the death penalty, they isolate cases where the sentence must be carried out as pronounced by the court of law.
“We do not want to rush this process,” he added, highlighting the high number of inmates on death row due to executions last occurring in 2002.
Ogungbade clarified that the review process does not involve seeking fresh evidence in cases already adjudicated by competent courts, stressing that the government assesses each convicted individual based on the severity and premeditation of the crime.
“Some crimes, like a planned ritual killing or child abduction, leave no room for leniency. But in cases where a person caused death in a fit of anger, they may not pose a societal danger if given another chance,” he said.
Additionally, he underlined that the State Prerogative of Mercy Board had not approved pardons for convicts of ritual killings, kidnapping, or sexual offenses saying, “We do not want to send conflicting signals. Recognizing these crimes as prevalent means we cannot grant pardon to those who have committed them.”
Meanwhile, he explained that despite the absence of specific legislation for ritual killings, a new bill criminalizing ritual killings has been finalized and will be submitted to the state House of Assembly within three weeks.
The Commissioner for Justice also addressed mounting worries about the abuse of law enforcement in civil cases, such as land disputes, tenancy issues, and marital disputes.
He warned against criminalizing civil issues, citing a recent case in Mowe where a woman was arrested by her landlord.
“We are overburdening the law enforcement agencies with cases that should go to civil courts.
“If someone has a contract dispute or a disagreement over property, the proper channel is to instruct a lawyer and seek redress in court not to involve the police or the army,” he added.
