When news broke on social media on Tuesday that Segun Olowookere, an only child, had been found guilty of stealing chickens and given a death sentence in Osun State, Nigerians were shocked. There was a great deal of outrage over the announcement, with many people wondering how harsh the punishment was and wanting to know more about the case’s specifics.CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
A Punch correspondent, who had tracked the case since Olowookere’s arrest in 2010, reported that the complainant was a relative of the accused. The investigation revealed that Olowookere was only 17 years old at the time of his arrest. In an exclusive interview with Sunday Punch, Olowookere shared his side of the story, shedding light on the events that led to his harsh sentence.
Olowookere and another individual, Sunday Morakinyo, were arrested in November 2010 in Oyan, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, for allegedly robbing a policeman, Tope Balogun, who was attached to the Okuku Divisional Police Headquarters. The robbery allegedly involved two chickens and some eggs. On January 30, 2013, the two men were charged with robbery and theft before Justice Jide Falola at the Osun State High Court in Ikirun.
According to the charge sheet, they were accused of conspiring in November 2010 to rob Oguntade Faramade of chickens and eggs worth ₦20,000. They were also charged with robbing Balogun Taye of two mobile phones and attempting to rob Alhaja Umani Oyewo. Additionally, they were accused of using weapons, such as cutlasses and a Dane gun, to rob Elizabeth Dare of a gallon of vegetable oil.
Both Olowookere and Morakinyo pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, the police claimed Olowookere had confessed during interrogation. During the trial, state counsel Biola Adewemimo presented six witnesses, including the victims and police officers, who testified against the defendants.
Olowookere’s lawyer, Ayo Omolesho, argued that his client was innocent, pointing out that Olowookere was not caught at the crime scene and that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Nevertheless, Justice Falola convicted the two men, sentencing them on December 17, 2014. Olowookere was sentenced to death for conspiracy to commit armed robbery, life imprisonment for robbery, and three years for theft. By then, he was 21 years old.
The judge, however, recommended that the state governor consider reducing the death sentence to 10 years imprisonment, citing the defendants’ young ages at the time of the offense.
In his interview with The Punch, Olowookere described his ordeal, stating that he was arrested outside his home by police officers. At the station, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) identified him as the leader of a gang based on a confession made by one of the children allegedly involved in the crime.
“The DPO told me one of the children confessed to stealing two broilers and crates of eggs and named me as their gang leader,” Olowookere said. “The children were about 12 or 13 years old, and I was 17. I knew them from the community, but I had no involvement with them beyond greetings.”
Olowookere insisted he denied the allegations but was subjected to police torture. He explained that Morakinyo, whom he met at the police station, also denied any connection to him. Despite their denials, both were tortured while the children were released.
“They forced me to confess to a crime I didn’t commit,” Olowookere said. “We were made to cut grass at the station despite our injuries from the torture. It was unbearable, yet the real culprits were set free.”
Hear him speak: “I believe I will be free one day, and when I regain my freedom, I will definitely go for medicine. I pray to God to set me free because I am innocent. I don’t know anything about the crime I am convicted for. I pray to God to give me the opportunity to prove my innocence to the world, and be useful to society. I am not a criminal; I have never stolen anything in my life, not to talk of robbing somebody.”CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
