A civil servant in Delta State (name withheld) who was sentenced to death has regained freedom from the Warri Correctional Centre.
Narrating his road to liberty from an amnesty judge from Abuja, he said some years ago, he was transferred from his base in Rivers State and made a supervisor in his new place of assignment in Asaba.
He said, “On the sad day while returning home and excited about the news that my wife had delivered a baby boy, l ran into some group of people returning from prayers around Mariam Babangida Way in Asaba and killing four on the spot.
“The brake of my car failed. I was almost lynched to death by an angry mob but a police patrol team rescued me. The matter was charged to court and it was upheld to be a murder case because I had no driving licence.
“I was sentenced to death and taken to Kwale Prison. I was later transferred to Warri Correctional Centre after the prison at Kwale got burnt. Usually, when a judge wears his red gown, on the verge of signing for the condemnation of inmates, they rarely ask about their offences, but this case was different.
“After asking some of us about our offences, the judge signed the execution of all 24 inmates but excluded mine. On getting to my turn, I narrated my story and the judge said my case ought to be manslaughter and not murder.
“I was supposed to pay a fine that ran into hundreds of thousands, but after calculating the years I had spent in prison, the judge released me without paying a dime.
“As I speak to you, my family has already given up on me, except for my mother who has been praying for me. They are unaware that I have regained freedom as they have been told that I will eventually die by firing squad,” he said.
He said he will resume work after reuniting with his family. He said his director who is aware of his case was around to receive him after he pulled off his prison uniform.
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