However, for cultism, the activities should be classified and the competent court of law can give judgment with regard to the level of a person’s involvement. It therefore means that those engaging in the deadly act of cultism can be handed capital punishment while those with lesser crimes can be given prison sentences when convicted. I also want to advise state governments not to waste time in signing death warrants when persons have been convicted. • Mr. Timi Igoli Secretary (Civil Liberties Organisation, Bayelsa State chapter) The death penalty for cultism is too harsh. Although cultism is a crime, the clear alternative for the death sentence is life imprisonment. But the government should try as much as possible to create jobs where the youths can channel their energy that would have been geared towards cultism and kidnapping to national development. The truth is that even cultism is not only a youth affair. At the elite level, it is occultism. But you would agree that occultism is the senior level of cultism. So, if a governor is saying that cultism attracts the penalty of death, it must also cover occultism and those who belong to such organisations which they say are registered. The influence of cultism and occultism in the society is actually the same. Occultism has a way of influencing cultism. The government should pass a law to declare cultism and occultism as a crime. Our laws should not be directed to a particular segment of the society. Terrorism is also sponsored by the elite. So, those who sponsor it should also face the law. It also applies to those who provide the environment for it. In the mining sector, those who are given licences should be scrutinised because they have the equipment to actually perpetrate terrorism. •President Aigbokhan (A Benin-based lawyer) The aim of justice is not to inflict pain but to serve as a deterrent under the principle of the deterrent theory of punishment. But it becomes difficult in a society of ours where we celebrate affluence and there is no promotion of innovation. Criminals, these days, buy cars and expensive gifts for their religious leaders and traditional leaders and they are accorded honour with no one asking them where they got the money from. In a society that undermines merit and promotes social injustice, where everybody is competing and nobody is bothered about ethical values, people will take to armed robbery. The judiciary and law enforcement agencies have to be functional. The social structure of families and government and religion must be strengthened with ethical values. It is not enough to have death sentence; we must have a functional judiciary where people will not escape justice because of their political leaning. At any stage in a criminal matter, the attorney-general can enter a nolle prosequi, which means if a strong member of the ruling party kidnaps somebody on an election day, the AG can stop the prosecution inasmuch as the judgement has not been delivered. Would the law be allowed to operate without primordial sentiments? The death sentence would go a long way to serve as a deterrent, but the law must be allowed to work with diligent prosecution devoid of political interference and influence. The people must have faith in governance process. Once there is confidence in the system, the death penalty will serve as a deterrent. •Eseme Eyiboh (A former spokesperson for the House of Representatives) I know that terrorism and cultism are capital offences, but death sentence is not a remedy to tackling the menace. We can build a home that can reform cultists and terrorists. They need reformation so the government should think of how to reform them other than kill them. Most of them join those things ignorantly. Most times, they do not know the implication of what they are doing. The best way to handle it is to reform the offenders. These people may change tomorrow and become responsible citizens of this country. Something necessitated their action; why can’t the government find out the cause of their action and help reform them? From what led to their action, you will know if they acted in ignorance or they were paid to carry out the act. They cannot sit on their own and become killers; something led to it. So, government should find out the root cause and tackle it. Death sentence may not be the best option; the government should build a home where such people will be reformed and rehabilitated. • Mr. Ogbonna Innocent (A lawyer) To Receive SKYTREND NEWS Alerts On WhatsApp, Add 0802 739 7554; For Adverts Enquiries, Whatsapp 0802 739 7554, Send Articles & News Stories To editor@skytrendnews.com. Punch Newspaper READ ALSO! First Bank’s Appalling Customer Service And Utter Disregard For Its Customers READ ALSO! Between GoDaddy And Namecheap: Making The Best Choice For Domain Name Registrar READ ALSO! Google Developing New Tools To Enhance Article Search For News Publishers On Subscription READ ALSO! The Hurdles Nigerian Youths Must Cross By 2019, By Dele Momodu READ ALSO! The Internet’s Future Lies With Its Next Billion Users — Sundar Pichai, Google CEO READ ALSO! Nigerian Filmmaker, Zuriel Oduwole Makes Forbes List Of 100 Most Influential African Women READ ALSO! Woman Marries Her Son After Getting Pregnant For Him READ ALSO! Smartphone Sales Fall As Samsung, Apple Consolidate Market Share READ ALSO! The Smart CEO: Top 5 Websites To Get Cheap Domain Name Registration ]]>
