New Telegraph

Onigbanjo: Why Sanwo-Olu may not sign death warrant of criminals

Indication yesterday emerged that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is not likely to sign death warrant of any criminal sentenced to death throughout his tenure as the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo (SAN), yesterday said killing of condemned criminals no longer serve as deterrent to others. He said globally, killing of condemned criminals is no longer in vogue as the act of taking lives of those who committed murder or sentenced to death by the court doesn’t deter the crime from being perpetrated by other criminals.

Reacting to questions on the state government’s plan on the criminals already convicted and sentenced to death by the courts at the ongoing ministerial press briefing at Alausa, Onigbanjo said experts were divided over execution of criminal as punishment for murder. He added that evidences were bound that criminals were no longer deterred by the death of their fellow criminals whose lives were taken for committing a crime. The AG noted that despite the lynching of thieves by the perpetrators of jungle justice, more thieves still commit stealing while crimes were still prevalent in the countries, where criminals were killed for committing crimes. He said: “All over of the world, there are two camps: people who believe that death or killing people is not a deterrent to crim.

“So, go and look at the state where people are killed, crime are still prevalent. During the military regime in Nigeria, people were shot at the Bar beach on a live television. If you catch Oshodi today and you probably lynch him, do you think other thieves will not steal the next day?” He said he could not say if Sanwo-Olu would sign the death warrant since it was the prerogative of the governor to decide the signing of the warrant. “I’m not so sure whether killing serve as deterrent. As to whether Lagos State governor will sign the death warrant or not, Mr Governor owns that prerogative and he is the only one that can answer the question on death warrant signing,” he added.

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