Olowookere, who was sentenced to death after being wrongfully accused of armed robbery, has recounted his harrowing journey from arrest to death row, offering a detailed account of the injustices he endured. In an exclusive interview with PUNCH, he recalled how his life was upended when the police came searching for him at his father’s shop in Oyan. He described the moment he first learned of the accusations against him and the intense pressure he faced to confess to a crime he did not commit.
“I was at my father’s shop in Oyan after returning from school. My dad and I were discussing my university admission when suddenly, we heard gunshots,” Olowookere began. “Everybody ran away except my dad and a few others.” The chaotic scene unfolded as the police arrived and arrested his father, prompting a chain of events that would lead to Olowookere’s wrongful detainment.
He continued, “My father was taken to a police van where there were some children. I was peeping out and could hear and see what was going on. The police asked my dad where I was, and he asked them what my offence was. When they couldn’t give him a satisfactory response, my father shouted at the top of his voice that I should run away because the police wanted to arrest me.”
Olowookere was initially confused and unsure why the police were after him. “But I was wondering what my offence was,” he recalled. “So, I came out and went to meet them.” At that moment, he was detained at the police post in Oyan and later transferred to the Okuku Divisional Police Headquarters the following day. Upon arrival, he saw the children who had been detained with him sitting on the ground, eating rice.
At the station, Olowookere was accused of being the gang leader of a group of children aged 12 and 13 who were allegedly involved in stealing fowls and eggs. Despite vehemently denying the accusations, he was subjected to intense torture in an effort to force a confession. “I met Sunday Morakinyo at the station, and he told the police that he didn’t know me nor had anything to do with me. I don’t even know where he was arrested,” he said, stressing that the allegations were entirely baseless.
Olowookere further explained, “All the children were released but Morakinyo and I were not.” He described the severe mistreatment he endured during his time at the Okuku Police Station. “We were seriously tortured from the first day I got to the Okuku Police Station under the supervision of the DPO,” he recalled. “The children who allegedly committed the crime were not beaten. He repeatedly asked me to admit and confess to a crime I didn’t commit.”
Initially, Olowookere was told he could be released on bail if his father paid N30,000. However, his father could only raise N20,000, which was rejected by the police. “My dad left the station to look for the money. But before he returned the following day, we had been moved to the SARS office in Osogbo,” Olowookere explained, adding that the police had presented the cutlasses they had been given to cut grass as evidence, falsely claiming they were armed robbers.
After spending 17 days in SARS custody, Olowookere and Morakinyo were finally arraigned before a magistrate’s court on robbery charges. The case was later transferred to the High Court, where the two were sentenced to death. Olowookere maintains his innocence, and the unfairness of his situation continues to haunt him. “I didn’t commit the crime, but I was punished for it,” he lamented.
Reflecting on his wrongful conviction, Olowookere expressed his frustration at the system that failed him. “I did not deserve this,” he said, calling out the injustices that led to his sentencing. Despite his claims of innocence, his life was irrevocably altered by the accusations and the subsequent legal battles that followed.
He also highlighted the psychological toll the experience had on him. “The whole process was a nightmare,” he said. “I was taken from one place to another without ever being told what was going on or why I was there.” Olowookere’s account paints a picture of a young man who, despite his innocence, was caught in a system that sought to convict him without due process.
The case has raised serious questions about the integrity of law enforcement and the judicial system in Nigeria. Olowookere’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the potential for wrongful accusations and miscarriages of justice, particularly for those who are vulnerable or lack the means to defend themselves.
In the years since his conviction, Olowookere has continued to protest his innocence, seeking justice and a reversal of the decision that led to his death sentence. “I want to be free,” he said simply. “I want to live my life without this hanging over me.”