The Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, has freed an inmate, Kadiri Mohammed, 20, in Ubiaja custodial centre in the Central District of the state.
Mohammed, an awaiting trial inmate charged with kidnapping, had been in detention since Dec. 22, 2023.
Reprieve came his way on Wednesday as Justice Okungbowa was following up an advice from the Edo State Department of Public Prosecutions, which declared that the inmate had no case to answer.
The chief Judge had on Tuesday freed four others in Oko and Old Benin custodial centres due to their detention without tracing their files.
According to Justice Okungbowa, the visit to the centres, is part of efforts to decongest them.
The constitutional mandate ensures that criminal matters are speedily dealt with and that congestion of criminal cases in courts are drastically reduced.
Earlier, the Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre Ubiaja, Mr. O.J. Osemwegie, commended the Judge of Ubiaja High Court, Justice Esohe Bazuaye, for her assistance in assigning counsels to inmates for swift dispensation of Justice.
He also appreciated the lawyers in Esan, especially those representing inmates, for their free services.
The Chief Judge, however, decried the challenges of his office and promised that he would continue to impress on relevant authorities to redouble efforts in addressing them.
He said on his part, those challenges within his purview would be addressed promptly whenever they arose.
The Chief Judge also ordered the release of an inmate, Saliu Akande, detained at the Auchi Medium Security Correctional Centre for four years over alleged rape.
Okungbowa directed that the inmate be release due to non-availability of his case file and charges against him when he visited the facility on Thursday.
He said the visit was part of efforts to decongest the correctional centre and promote speedy dispensation of justice.
“Section 470 (2) of Edo State Administration of Law 2018 has entrusted us with the mandate to ensure the criminal matters are speedily dealt with and congestion of criminal cases in courts are drastically reduced.
“Since my assumption of office, I have together with members of Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee worked assiduously to ensure that our mandate is accorded much desired seriousness.
“To this end, my avowed and unalloyed commitment is that no one is made to remain here one day longer than necessary unless as prescribed by law.
”Today’s exercise, therefore underscores the passion and commitment of my administration to achieve these goals,” Okungbowa said.
The CJ thanked the members of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee for their support and effort aimed at decongesting correctional/custodial facilities in the state.
Okungbowa said he was aware of the perennial challenges faced by the correctional services in Edo and assured of tackling the problems.
He urged those released to be of good behaviour and ensure that they avoid acts that could take them back to incarceration.
Speaking, Mr Kingsley Ebare, the Assistant Comptroller, Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Auchi, commended the chief judge for his efforts at ensuring speedy dispensation of justice.
“The visit will restore hope to the hopeless and reposition their minds that justice will be served to deserving persons according to the laws of the land,” he said.
Ebare thanked the CJ for appointing a substantial judge in the high court for prompt trials.
“In recent past, the trial process in the high court, Auchi, was slow, but for your benevolence of appointing a substantive judge, we are optimistic that adjudication of cases will pick up.
“To this extent, we are grateful to you in particular and to the State Government at large,” he said.
He appealed to Okungbowa to liaise with the state government for assistance to the centre in the area of logistics and medical care for inmates.
