@PoliceNG_CRU@TunjiDisu1@CspIniedu@SPAwuFidelisJ Someone was picked up and transferred to Panti without committing any offence neither was he even charged to court. Done by Okokomaiko Police officers in Ojo.
An Ekiti man's death sentence has prompted his family to seek help from the State Governor.
The family of Haruna Ayeni, a man from Ekiti State who was sentenced to death along with his late father, has reached out to the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, requesting intervention in what they consider an unfair conviction.
In an interview with PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, Haruna’s brother, Olusola Ayeni, explained that the case originated from a land dispute involving their deceased father and another individual in Emure Ekiti back in June 2012.
Olusola stated that the conflict escalated into a physical confrontation on their father’s farm, which led to the other party filing an assault report with the police, resulting in their father's arrest.
He mentioned that Haruna went to the police station to help secure his father's release but ended up being detained himself.
Initially, both men faced assault charges in a High Court in Ekiti State, but the case was dismissed, and they were released.
Olusola recounted, "In June 2012, some individuals attempted to encroach on my father’s land and attacked him on his farm, leading to a scuffle.
One of them reported the incident to the police, which resulted in my father’s arrest.
When Haruna learned of this, he went to the station to bail our father, but unbeknownst to him, the police had orders to detain anyone who came to bail him, which is how Haruna was also taken into custody."
He further noted that during the initial trial, the man who reported the assault allegedly died in his sleep at home.
After the assault charge was dismissed, Haruna and their father returned to the detention facility to finalize their release, only to be rearrested by different officers and charged with murder.
"After they were released from the first case, they returned to the detention facility to complete their release process, but they were rearrested, and a new murder charge was filed against them," he explained.
Olusola revealed that in 2014, a High Court in Ekiti State sentenced both Haruna and their father to death.
"Our father later passed away in the correctional facility, and we also lost our sister in a car accident while she was on her way to visit Haruna.
We have been pursuing this case ever since," he added. He mentioned that Haruna’s ongoing imprisonment has severely affected the family, especially their elderly mother, who has reportedly suffered from prolonged health issues following the deaths of her husband and two children.
In his appeal to the governor, Olusola stated, "We are asking the governor to review this case and assist us.
Haruna has been imprisoned for nearly 14 years for something he had no involvement in.
My mother has lost her husband and two children due to this situation."
In response to the allegations, Haruna’s lawyer, Barrister Seun Ajayi, indicated that he became involved after the Court of Appeal's ruling, emphasizing that the court's decision was based on the evidence presented.
Ajayi acknowledged the possibility of a wrongful conviction but mentioned that the defense team is considering seeking executive clemency.
"I became involved after the Court of Appeal's decision, and I believe the court acted on the evidence available.
However, we are looking into the possibility of appealing to the governor for clemency," he stated.
Conversely, the Ekiti State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata, refuted the family's assertions.
Apata, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, affirmed that the case was properly adjudicated by a High Court and that the conviction was upheld by the Court of Appeal, adding that the case is currently before the Supreme Court.
"The family's claims do not accurately represent the case's true status. He was convicted by a High Court, and the Court of Appeal confirmed the judgment.
The matter is now pending before the Supreme Court," Apata stated.
(Source: Punch Newspaper)