Yahaya pardons 31 prisoners, commutes death penalty of one

Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, on Wednesday pardoned 31 prisoners and commuted the death penalty passed on one other convict to 21 years imprisonment.

This is contained in a statement issued in Gombe by Mr Ismaila Misilli, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the governor.

According to Misilli, the convicts got clemency from the governor’s power on prerogative of mercy under Section 212(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

He said the amnesty was sequel to recommendations by the Gombe State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the state Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General.

It was reported that the 31 pardoned prisoners and the one whose death penalty was commuted was out of the 71 applicants received by the Council.

The Council had received 71 applications by convicts serving sentences in Gombe Medium Security and other Custodial Centres at Bajoga, Billiri, Cham and Tula.

Misilli said that the Council took into consideration the age of the applicants, their good behaviours as well as their health status.

“The old age of applicants, 50 years and above, young persons, 16 years and below and persons serving 3 years and above with less than 6 months to serve and record of good behaviour.

“Others are persons suffering from terminal illness and those serving long term sentences and have served more than 10 years and have record of good behaviour,” he said.