The Chief Judge (CJ) of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has granted pardon to 14 inmates of correctional centres in the state.
The inmates freed were from Oba, Ibara, Ijebu-Ode, Ilaro and borstal home institute Adidbe in Abeokuta.
Justice Dipeolu, who ordered the release of the inmates during the first quarter “jail delivery exercise” held at the State Judiciary Complex in Abeokuta on Tuesday, said the gesture was part of efforts to decongest the correctional centres, as well as to reduce cases of unlawful detention and awaiting trial inmates who had been in custody without trial over a period.
She said, “They cannot be incarcerated for long in the correctional centres, hence the need for their release to avert backlog.
“Some of the inmates have been in custody since 2015, 2016 and 2017 based on no legal advice rendered by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP); no case files found, among others.”
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The CJ noted that those who regained freedom were imprisoned for various offences of conspiracy, robbery, murder attempt, abduction, rape, among others.
She, however, admonished the freed inmates to be law-abiding as they went out and positively contribute their quotas to the development of society.
She added that they should make the best use of the amnesty by shunning crime and criminal activities capable of bringing them back to prison.
The CJ disclosed that another round of jail delivery exercise would take place in April, in order to reduce congestion in the correctional centres.
Also speaking, the Ogun State Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Rasheed Alimi, appreciated the gesture of the CJ in ensuring that inmates were released periodically.
Alimi, who was represented by the Deputy Controller (Corrections) of the New Oba Custodial Centre, Mr Babatunde Adenaya, noted that the periodic exercise would go a long way in minimising congestion in the custodial centres in the state.
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