Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi has blamed the Nigerian Police for the congestion in the Rivers State Correctional Centers.
Justice Chibuzor-Amadi said the facilities were congested because the Police did not carry out “proper investigations” before charging inmates to court.
The chief judge, who spoke during a goal-delivery exercise at the Port Harcourt Correctional Center on Tuesday, expressed displeasure over a report that said the state prison has the “highest number of inmates in West Africa Sub-region”.
He directed judges and magistrates to include their names in “warrant orders” and warned against the filing of “frivolous charges” against accused persons.
Justice Chibuzor-Amadi also advised the judges and magistrates to ensure the regular sending of discharge orders of discharged inmates to the Nigerian Correctional Center for easy release.
He maintained that the judiciary, the correctional centre, the Nigerian Police, and the Department of Public Prosecution must synergize to ensure the decongestion of correctional facilities.
The chief judge advised the 22 released inmates to part with the behaviour that brought them to the facility, charging them to go home and become better citizens.
He further assured that the judiciary will conduct another round of goal-delivery exercises before the Christmas celebration.
On his part, the State Controller of Port Harcourt Correctional Center, Felix Lawrence commended the judiciary for the exercise and assured their collaboration in ensuring the decongestion of the facilities across the state.
