By Amos Igbebe
Outgoing Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has approved the grant of total pardon to one Moses Akatugba who was on death row and ordered his immediate release in the exercise of his powers of Prerogative of Mercy under Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
A statement released by the Office of the Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah, SAN, stated that the Governor acted pursuant to his powers of Prerogative of Mercy in the Spirit of the Democracy Day Celebrations and took into consideration the several Local and International pleas including those from Amnesty International.
The statement further added that the Governor also commuted the sentences of four other prison inmates on death row and severing of life imprisonment respectively.
Those who are to benefit are Williams Aniretan who was sentenced to death but had his sentence commuted to two years imprisonment and Onyeka Emordi who was sentenced to death but was pardoned and had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
Others are Martin Ishiekwene who was sentenced to death on the 3rd day of November, 1998 and whose death sentence was earlier commuted to life imprisonment on the 27th day of July, 2010 but had his life sentence commuted to 15 years imprisonment.
Samuel Akpos who was on life imprisonment as well, had his life sentence commuted to 10 years imprisonment. It would be recalled that the said Samuel Akpos who was hitherto on the death row, having being sentenced to death on the 5th day of July, 1995 but had the sentence commuted to life imprisonment on the 9th day of August, 1997 by the then Delta State Military Administrator, Colonel David Dungs.
According to the Statement, the Prison Authorities have been advised appropriately in the warrant of pardon signed by the Governor to effect the warrants immediately.
