By Ola Ajayi
IBADAN—TO avoid congestion of prisons across the country, a member of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Adekemi Felicia Opatunde, has said it is incumbent on state governors assent to death warrants of condemned criminals to allow the criminals pay the capital punishment as stipulated by law.
Mrs. Opatunde, an aspirant to Akinyele State Constituency II on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2019 general elections said no sentiment should be allowed in dealing with the condemned criminals.
She said this at the launch of Initiative for Social and Community Value Enhancement International, a non-governmental organization based in Ibadan, noting that no nation could rise beyond its level of fairness, equity and justice.
According to her, whoever commits a crime and the courts adjudge him or her for death should face the prescribed penalty.
She explained that the idea of bringing religion into such matters could not be explained as there should not be a confusion of religion with the state of the law, adding, “religion is very clear about offence and punishment and none of our religions supports a man or woman killing a fellow human being.”
She said: “In the Old Testament in the Bible, the injunction is so clear that whoever kills by the sword shall die by the sword and even, in the New Testament, to show that God disapproves of a person killing a fellow being is the creation of heaven and hell by God Himself. Anybody that is found under the law to have killed deserves no mercy.
“I’m not a lawyer and I don’t claim to be one, but, I’m sufficiently aware and informed that a lot of cases are lost from the process of investigation through loss of evidence, suppression of facts and other malpractices on the part of the investigators.
We need to a have a rethink on our judicial system towards attaining a level of judicious discharge of justice for equity and fairness.”
On her ambition, the aspiring lawmaker said her coming into politics is not only to satisfy her personal ambition but to also encourage other women to be passionate about politics towards driving women and family issues so as to generally improve the society.
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