Femi Falana

Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and human rights activist has written a letter to Mr. Dayo Apata, SAN, the Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, to recommend to the Governor of Ekiti State for a full pardon, Olayinka Afolalu. He has been in the Kirikiri Maximum Security Correctional Centre for the past 23 years for robbing a lady of N1,750.

Falana drew the attention of the Attorney-General to the Prerogative of Mercy Committee under his able leadership to Afolalu’s plight to do the recommendation.

Below is Falana’s full letter:

January 22, 2025

Mr. Dayo Apata SAN,

Honourable Attorney-General and Commissioner

for Justice,

Ministry of Justice,

Ado, Ekiti State.

REQUEST FOR PARDON FOR OLAYINKA AFOLALU HELD IN PRISON CUSTODY  FOR 23 YEARS FOR ROBBING A LADY OF N1,750

We have been requested by one Olayinka Afolalu in the Kirikiri Maximum Security Correctional Centre to draw your attention to the Prerogative of Mercy Committee under your able leadership to his plight with a view to recommending him to the Governor of Ekiti State for a full pardon.

The humble request of Olayinka Afolalu for full pardon is predicated on the following facts :

1. Olayinka Afolalu was arrested on April 27,  2002, at Ilawe Ekiti and arraigned on a 2-count charge of armed robbery before the Ado Ekiti High Court.
2. The 1st charge was that he robbed one Idowu Fanikun (F) of the sum of N225.00 and the second charge was that he robbed one Mercy Ogunshakiu (F) of the sum of N1,750.00 while armed with offensive weapons.
3. The police alleged that the three other members of the robbery gang escaped but they were never declared wanted.
4. After the trial, the learned trial Judge found Mr. Afolalu not guilty of the first count of the charge and accordingly discharged and acquitted him.
5. As for the second count of the charge, the learned trial Judge convicted him and sentenced him to death. His appeal to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court against his conviction and sentence were dismissed.
6. Thus, Olayinka Afolalu has been in prison custody for the past  23 years for robbing Mercy Ogunshakiu of the sum of N1,750.00.
7. In 2015, the former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose commuted the death sentence passed on Olayinka Afolalu to life imprisonment on account of his good conduct in the Kirikiri Maximum Security Correctional Centre.
8. It is on record that even though the victim of the armed robbery was deprived of the sum of N1,750.00, she was not physically attacked during the unfortunate incident.

Having confirmed that the convict has demonstrated good behaviour while in prison custody and has acquired special skills that could be useful to society, we are compelled to request the Prerogative of Mercy Committee to recommend to Governor Biodun Oyebanji to grant full pardon to Olayinka Afolalu under section 212 of  Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

While awaiting your reply to this letter please accept