Photo credit: Daily Times
Segun Olowookere is a 31-year-old Nigerian who was recently released from Kirikiri Maximum Prison after 10 years of being on death row.
He had been in prison since November 2010 when he was arrested for armed robbery, during which they allegedly stole hens and eggs.
He and a co-suspect were sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court, Ikirun division, on 17 December 2014. Olowookere still insists he knows nothing about the robbery.
Although opinions differ on whether Mr Olowookere should have been tried in a conventional court, I’m not bothered by the legalese involved in his case. I’m more concerned about his rehabilitation into society.
While the global rate of recidivism is about 20 per cent, it was 52.4 per cent in Nigeria as of 2012.
Ex-convicts fall back to crime due to:
1. Ineffectiveness of the correctional system in terms of providing the appropriate reformation and rehabilitation programs suitable for addressing the initial offence.
2. Inability of an inmate to willingly key into the reformation and rehabilitation program.
3. Socio-economic and other enabling factors that led to the initial offending behaviour still in existence at the point of release.
4. Rejection by family and friends. Stigmatization and loss of livelihood and shelter.
5. Lack or inefficient reintegration programming.
Most of the above may not be relevant in Olowookere’s case. However, how ready is he to settle into society and live a normal life?
Will he be seeing psychologists for PTSD?
After, spending fourteen years in prison – ten on death row – has he been made ready for reintegration into society?
He needs urgent help to be a responsible member of society.
