‘Review not enough’ — Falana asks AGF to apologise for pardon list controversy

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has asked Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), to apologise over the “colossal embarrassment” caused by the presidential pardon list.

Speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Falana said some of those who were in the previous pardon list were convicted for serious offences under state laws.

BACKGROUND

On October 9, Tinubu granted presidential pardon and other forms of clemency to 175 persons, following the approval of the council of state.

Those convicted for drug offences and illegal miners were among recipients of the presidential pardon.

Maryam Sanda, the woman who was sentenced to death by hanging for stabbing her husband, Mohammed Bello, to death, was granted clemency in the initial list.

However, the list sparked public outrage as many Nigerians faulted the pardon of persons who were convicted for serious offenses.

Amid the public criticism, the AGF said the presidential list would be reviewed.

On Wednesday, Tinubu ordered the removal of persons convicted for kidnapping, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and unlawful possession of firearms from the list of beneficiaries under the federal government’s prerogative of mercy.

The president trimmed the list from 175 beneficiaries to 120, revoked Sanda’s pardon and reduced her death sentence to 12 years imprisonment.

‘FG MUST ENSURE THAT SUCH EMBARRASSMENT DOESN’T OCCUR AGAIN’

Speaking on the list, Falana said this was not the first time that the exercise would be “mishandled”.

While citing a case of a convict who was pardoned after 11 years of trial by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Falana said some of those on the initial list do not deserve mercy.

“Those who were convicted under state laws found their way on that list. By virtue of section 212 of the constitution, only the governor of a state can pardon people convicted for stealing, obtaining by false pretences, murder, or culpable homicide,” he said.

“The government owes itself a duty to ensure that such colossal embarrassment does not occur again.

“The only way you can do that is to take some actions to teach some lessons and to let the whole country know that… we have to apologise for embarrassing the country.

“The very least the Honourable AGF can do is to apologise. It is not enough to say that we are going to review the list and now we have reviewed it. That is all. No! It’s not done that way.”