NO fewer than 34 inmates in Delta State have regained freedom following the recent visit of the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Theresa Diai, to four Correctional Centres.
Sixteen inmates breathed air of freedom from Ogwashi-Uku, 10 from Warri, while Agbor and Sapele centres had five and three released respectively.
Details of the number of those released from Kwale Centre were sketchy as of the time of filing this report.
Among those released from Warri include 42 years old Ifeacho Blessing, Michael Diata, Stanley Lucky (37), Tega Okoloba (21) and Omovua Moses (28).
Others are Godspower Charity (20), Noah Tamarauketemene (23), Tuwo Two Nadua (27), Godwin Omotefe (44) and Boloemi Inuisi (23)
Narrating the circumstances that led to their incarceration at Warri prison, Ifeacho Blessing and Michael Diata said that someone asked them to contract a driver for him for an assignment which they did.
They said after some time the person came to them complaining that he could not found the driver, demanding them to produce the driver.
They told him that they do not know whereabouts of the driver and as a result, the police arrested and slammed both of them with allegation of conspiracy and murder.
Similarly, the freed inmates from Sapele centre include one Mr. Ezeribe Michael, who was said to have interfered in the gang beating of his son and have been in detention for four months while his son, Frank Onah was said to have been in custody since November 30, 2020.
The inmates, who could not hold back their joy, thanked the Chief Judge for the release and promised to be law-abiding henceforth.
Reviewing the 609 list of awaiting trial inmates in Warri, Justice Diai noted that “when few or no inmates are released it means that the courts are doing well.
“You know, when I was talking I said, if we do not release people in prison it means we are doing well. Doing well in the sense that everybody who is here, is here lawfully and when that has been ascertained it is the court in which the case is pending that will now take over jurisdiction in respect of such matters,” she explained.
On the purpose of the jail delivery exercise, Justice Diai reiterated, “Last year when I was here I made some remarks of the purpose of the visit and it has not changed. It is to review the cases of those awaiting trial and to ensure that they are here legitimately. And we are also to see whether there are those people who have stayed more than the period if they should have been convicted.”
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, Isaiah Bozimo, had earlier said the visits to custodian centres were to “ensure that only those that were legitimately supposed to be there are there and not those who have no case against them.”
Speaking to reporters at Ogwashi-Uku centre, the commissioner said the visits had also helped to decongest the centres and has brought orderliness in the system, maintaining that the exercise had enhanced efficiency in the system.
He commended Justice Diai, staff of the Ministry of Justice, judiciary staff and officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service, security agencies for their role in the successful exercise.
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