As part of ongoing efforts to decongest overcrowded correctional facilities in Rivers State, the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, on Thursday granted freedom to 21 awaiting trial inmates at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre.
The release exercise, which took place in Port Harcourt, was aimed at addressing the alarming congestion in the facility, which was built to accommodate 1,500 inmates but currently holds over 2,500.
Justice Amadi, while addressing stakeholders, lamented the rising number of inmates awaiting trial and called for urgent collaboration among the judiciary, police, correctional service, and other arms of the criminal justice system to resolve the problem.
According to him, keeping individuals in prolonged custody without trial serves no justice to society and amounts to punishment without conviction.
He noted that the inmates released were carefully selected after a thorough review of their cases. Those whose case files could not be traced and had spent several years in custody without trial were considered for release, while inmates with ongoing court cases were not included.
Also Read: Atiku Slams Tinubu Over Unpaid Wage Awards, Detention of Activist
“This exercise is not merely a routine function but a core judicial responsibility anchored in law. It is backed by the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody) Special Provisions Act Cap C4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and Section 34(1) of the Rivers State Administration of Criminal Justice Law No. 7 of 2015.”
Among those released were two mentally challenged inmates who had spent between eight to ten years in custody without clear charges or trial proceedings.
The Chief Judge urged the freed inmates to embrace reform and become responsible members of society, warning them against returning to criminal activities. He also advised law enforcement officers, particularly the police, to carry out thorough investigations before charging suspects in court.
Speaking during the event, the Controller of the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre, Madumere Felix, thanked the Chief Judge for the intervention. He revealed that the facility currently houses 503 inmates on death row and over 2,500 inmates in total, despite having the capacity for only 1,500.
Felix appealed to the Chief Judge to assist in conveying the challenges faced by the correctional service to the state government for urgent support and intervention.
