Couple Jailed For 37 Yrs In Delta Pleads For State Pardon

A husband and wife jailed for 37 years, at the Warri Maximum Security Prison, Okere, Delta State have appealed for State pardon.

They made the appeal during the maiden visit of the Chairman, Delta State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy, Chief A. P J. Okpakpor to the facility on Thursday.

BigPen Online reports that the couple were imprisoned for offences of conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping in 2012.

The partially-blind 71 years old man, simply identified as Lucky Ishaka and his 56 years old wife, Margaret pleaded with the Committee members to consider their plight by prevailing on Governor Okowa to grant them State pardon.

The couple as at when they were hauled into the Okere prison had six children, left at the mercy of the society.

Speaking during the facilities tour, Chief A. P J. Okpakpor, said that as a statutory body empowered to advise the Governor in exercise of powers vested on him by the constitution in granting amnesty to prisoners, the Council would make appropriate recommendations for clemency to deserving inmates on death row and others serving various terms of imprisonment to the Governor.

He emphasized that only qualified applications received by the Council would be considered and forwarded for approval.

Okpakpor, a former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Delta state, however expressed shock that 222 inmate was on death row in the facility, saying that the congestion of the prison should be treated as national emergency.

The Deputy Controller in charge of Warri Prison, Mr Airiohuodion Sam, who expressed joy over the visit, appealed to the Federal and the Delta State government to intervene in the crisis situation currently experienced by the Prisons in the State by building additional facilities to accommodate condemned convicts.

Okpakpor was accompanied by members of the Committee which include the Secretary, Barr Mrs Uju Monye, Dr Samuel Efetobor, Barr John Okoriko and Barr F. Njuokuemeni.

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