By Shina Abubakar, Osogbo
An Islamic cleric, Dr. Abdulateef Abdulhakeem, has condemned the pardon and reintegration of convicted criminals into society, describing the practice as inconsistent with Islamic principles.
Abdulhakeem spoke on Saturday while delivering a lecture at the 20th anniversary of the Osun State Independent Shari’ah Panel in Osogbo.
He argued that the implementation of Shari’ah promotes justice and accountability, adding that some state governments have been reluctant to establish Shari’ah courts because doing so would limit certain discretionary powers exercised by political office holders.
According to him, Shari’ah does not support the release or reintegration of convicted criminals on the basis of political influence or executive discretion.
