Tina Amanda
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, justice Simeon Amadi has granted and discharged twenty-seven inmates in port Harcourt maximum Correctional centre, who are on awaiting trials and had spent more than eight years in detention without their matters going on in any court in the state for prosecution, as well as those with challenging health issues
Among the pardoned inmates include paramount ruler of Emelaga community in Abua /Odua local government area of Rivers State, Chief Sunday Iwori who was released on complicated health grounds, two female inmates and among other inmates who have been in custody since 2008 without being charged to court
Justice Amadi said the goal of the exercise was in exercising the powers conferred on him in section 34 of the Rivers State administration of criminal justice laws, noting that decongestion of the Correctional custody should be a major concern to various stakeholders in the administration of criminal justice
He attributed some factors to be responsible for the congestion of Correctional custodians which is lack of filing of information on case files, wrong charges, lack of diligent prosecution amongst others, adding that those who have no reason to be in the custody should be released
The state chief judge said in pursuit of achieving decongested custodian centre in the state, the management of the state judiciary has approved that periodically, magistrates will be posted to the area to continue in the exercise.
“We have resolved to send magistrates quarterly to come here to continue in the goal delivery exercise in line with section 34 of the administration of criminal justice law of the state.
“I am doing what the law asked me to do. Let me, therefore, say that we are not getting the much we desired from the leadership of the Correctional Centre in areas of proper documentation.”
Justice Amadi, however, charged the released inmates to be of good behaviour and not go back to the former lifestyle that brought them to custody, saying that they may be unlucky next time.
Also speaking, the state comptroller of corrections, Nigerian Correctional service, Mr Alex Oditah, thanked the state chief judge for the exercise, adding that the exercise will help to decongest the custody.
