REPRIEVE has come the way of a 77-year-old man, Mr. Dickson Umukoro seven years after he was sentenced to death and two others as Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, granted them state pardon in commemoration of the nation’s 54th independence anniversary.
Those released by the governor along with Umukoro is a 53-year-old Monday Tom and an unnamed adolescent.
Before their release, Umukoro was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 2007 but later had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment in 2010, while Tom had spent 17 years in jail following his conviction for murder and sentenced to death on October 19, 2005.
Their release, which came at the weekend, followed the governor’s prerogative powers to grant state pardon as contained in Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution.
Also affected by the governor’s gesture are Chijioke Edeh, Augustine Okoroh and Joshua Musa, whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment while Dele Mokwunye, Ufuoma Paul Eto, Moses Orakpor, Uche Dike, Jonathan Igbi and Chukwuemeka Igwebuike are to serve between 10 and 15 years jail terms.
Describing the governor’s gesture as rare, Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN), said the exercise was as a result of Uduaghan’s prerogative powers as enshrined in the constitution.
Ajuyah said: “The governor acted pursuant to his power of prerogative of mercy and in the spirit of the celebration of Nigeria’s 54th independence anniversary. Those who benefited are: Dickson Umukoro, a 77 year-old man convicted on the offence of murder in 2007 but later had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment in 2010. He was granted pardon and ordered to be released on the grounds of age, health challenge and good conduct in prison.

“Also, Monday Tom, aged 53, was convicted for the offence of murder and sentenced to death on October 19, 2005. He is pardoned and to be released on the grounds of health challenge, and having spent over 17 years in jail with good conduct and a young man whose true name is withheld by reason of his age, has been detained by an order of court in 2009 as he was then under 17 years of age when the offence was committed. The prison authorities have been advised appropriately in the warrant of the pardon signed by His Excellency”.
“Others who benefited from His Excellency’s exercise of prerogative of mercy are Dele Mokwunye, Ufuoma Paul Eto and Moses Orakpor whose sentences were commuted to 15 years each while Uche Dike, Jonathan Igbi and Chukwuemeka Igwebuike’s sentences were commuted to 10 years each.
“Three other inmates, Chijioke Edeh, Augustine Okoroh and Joshua Musa, had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment.

Good.