Introduction to Lukman Adeyemi’s Ordeal
Lukman Adeyemi, a 50-year-old bricklayer, has been exonerated and released from prison after serving 24 years for a crime he didn’t commit.
In 2000, Adeyemi, then 26, accompanied a friend to a police station, only to be detained and subjected to severe physical and psychological torture by SARS officers, leading to false confessions in hopes of been spared. He spent nine years in pre-trial detention and 15 years on death row before his release on June 14, 2024.
The False Accusation and Torture
Adeyemi, a native of Oyo State, recounted his harrowing experience in Nigeria:
“I was wrongly accused and imprisoned for a crime I knew nothing about. I’m now seeking justice and trying to rebuild my life.”
In August 2000, after returning home from work with his friend Ismaila Lasisi, they were informed that the police had come looking for Ismaila and asked him to report to the station. Adeyemi decided to accompany him, and they were both arrested and detained. He was tortured nearly to death over a crime he knew nothing about, involving the murder of a woman hired by some of Ismaila’s ex-friends to fetch water at a construction site.
Years of Unjust Imprisonment
In 2009, Adeyemi and others were sentenced to death. They filed separate appeals, but the appeals were denied by the Supreme Court.
“My story of innocence to whoever cared to listen fell on deaf ears. Many questioned, ‘If you’re not one of them, why mention your name?’ ‘If truly you are innocent, why can’t the court free you?’ I felt abandoned by truth itself. I spent 24 years behind bars like 24 hours, a sleepless night that lasted for two decades.”
The Road to Freedom
In June 2023, Deputy Superintendent of Correctional (DSC) AbdulKareem Awesu introduced Adeyemi’s case to a Pastor. On July 17, 2023, the Centre for Justice, Mercy, and Reconciliation (CJMR), led by Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi, visited Ibara Correctional Service. They listened to everyone involved, including the real culprits who exonerated Adeyemi and Ismaila Lasisi.
The CJMR organization gathered all judgment records and highlighted their innocence. On June 14, 2024, Adeyemi was finally released.
A New Beginning for Lukman Adeyemi
“June 14, 2024, shall remain an evergreen and memorable day in my life. Light shone upon me, rain fell on my head for the first time, and I saw the moon for the first time.”
Adeyemi expressed his gratitude for the CJMR’s intervention: “I am grateful that the organization Centre for Justice, Mercy, and Reconciliation intervened on my behalf. Her belief in my innocence reignited the flame of justice within me, propelling me toward the possibility of redemption.”
Advocacy by Pastor Hezekiah Olujobi
Pastor Hezekiah Deboboye Olujobi, Executive Director of CJMR, advocated for the exoneration of Adeyemi and Lasisi, revealing evidence of their innocence:
“Our attention was drawn to the complaints of these two people by Welfare Officer DCP Awesu, who assured us of their innocence. We came down to Ibara Custodial Centre, Abeokuta, to hear from them. The real perpetrators confessed that Adeyemi and Lasisi were innocent. We reviewed their judgments and found contradictions in the court’s decisions.”
Legal Efforts Leading to Release
“With all the analysis and evidence, we forwarded our findings to the Attorney-General of Ogun State and the Committee for the Board of Prerogative of Mercy. They considered our appeal. It’s not about their story; it’s about the fact that the record corroborated their story.”
Current Support and Care
After their exoneration, Lukman Adeyemi and Ismaila Lasisi are currently receiving support and care at the Centre for Justice, Mercy, and Reconciliation.
