One condemned convict who has spent years waiting for the hangman can now heave a sigh of relief as Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has commuted his death sentence to 21 years imprisonment while 31 other prisoners serving various terms have been pardoned.
The convicts got the clemency from the governor’s power on Prerogative of Mercy under Section 212 (1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and sequel to the recommendation by the Gombe State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, headed by the State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney-General, Zubair Muhammad Umar.
The Council had earlier received 71 applications by convicts serving various terms of sentences at the Gombe Medium Security and other Custodial Centres at Bajoga, Billiri, Cham and Tula.
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The Council also took into consideration 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 out their terms and have records of good behaviour.
Others are persons suffering from terminal illnesses and those serving long term sentences and have served more than 10 years and have a record of good behaviour as contained in a statement by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the governor.