Man Freed After Over 20 Years on Death Row for Generator He Didn’t Steal

After more than two decades of incarceration, Kolawole Oladeji has finally stepped out of prison, regaining his freedom years after being sentenced to death over a crime he says he never committed.

Oladeji, a generator repairman by trade, was arrested back in October 1999 when a generator—reportedly stolen by someone else—ended up in his workshop. Despite consistently maintaining his innocence, he found himself caught in a web of accusations that led to a court sentencing him and three others to death by hanging in January 2003.

Among those convicted was Ogbona Igbojionu, who was also released alongside Oladeji. The turning point in their long legal battle came when TikTok personality Olumide Ogunsanwo, popularly known online as Seaking, launched a public campaign that brought renewed attention to their plight.

Oladeji, who had already spent nearly four years in detention before the court handed down his sentence, says the actual thief—Segun Ajibade—was pardoned and released by former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun in 2016. Yet Oladeji remained behind bars.

In 2018, an attempt to overturn his conviction through an appeal failed when his lawyer withdrew from the case. Not giving up, he penned a petition in 2020 to current Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, requesting clemency and pleading for a second chance at life with his loved ones.

With his release now secured, Oladeji’s story is both a testament to the flaws in the justice system and the power of public advocacy in reviving long-forgotten cases. What began as a routine repair job in 1999 turned into a decades-long nightmare—but at long last, he walks free.

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Source: NewsandVibes.com