By Obinna Nwaoku, Port Harcourt
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, has granted pardon to 37 inmates who have been on awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre, for five years and above without prosecution.
Justice Chibuzor-Amadi, who granted them amnesty during jail delivery exercise at the correctional facility, blamed police operatives for high level of congestion experienced in the centre.
He accused the police of preferring frivolous charges and deliberately charging inmates to the court that has no jurisdiction without proper investigation on the matter, advising the police to do proper investigation before charging suspects to court.
The Chief Judge called on all relevant agencies involved in the administration of justice to collaborate to ensure the decongestion of prison.
He also directed judges handling criminal matters, including sexual assaults, cultism, kidnapping, and armed robbery, to ensure the conclusion of such matter as enshrined in the new High Court procedure rules.
The Chief Judge, however, advised the released inmates to be better citizens as they return to society and never exhibit character that will bring them back to prison.
In his remarks, the state’s comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Alex Oditah, commended the state judiciary for decongesting correctional facilities.
Source: The Guardian
