Rivers Chief Judge Frees 21 Awaiting Trial Inmates
In a bid to reduce the congestion in correctional facilities in Rivers State, Chief Judge Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has freed 21 awaiting trial inmates at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre.
The exercise was part of the Chief Judge’s efforts to address the issue of overcrowding in the correctional facilities, which has become a major concern in the state.
According to Justice Amadi, the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre, which was built to accommodate 1,500 inmates, currently houses over 2,500 inmates. This has led to a situation where inmates are subjected to inhumane conditions, which can have serious consequences for their health and well-being.
The Chief Judge emphasized the need for concerted efforts by all stakeholders in the criminal justice system to address the issue of overcrowding in correctional facilities.
He noted that keeping inmates in custody without trial does not benefit society and emphasize that it is the duty of all stakeholders to ensure that justice is served while also protecting the rights of suspects.
The Chief Judge noted that keeping inmates in custody without trial does not benefit society and instead punishes them without justification. Prolonged detention can have serious consequences for the mental and physical health of inmates, and can also lead to further congestion in correctional facilities.
The Chief Judge explained that the decision to release the inmates was based on a review of their cases. Those with ongoing court cases were not considered for release, but inmates whose case files could not be traced and had spent years in custody without any progress in their trials were freed.
The state chief judge maintained that the goal delivery exercise was not the normal routine duty but fundamental aspects of his judicial responsibilities rooted in legal traditional as provided in the criminal justice release from custody special provision Act Cap C,4c laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and section 34 sub 1 of Rivers state Administration of Criminal Justice Law No 2015.
Among those released were two mentally challenged inmates who had spent between 8 to 10 years in custody without any clear charges or trial progress.
Justice Amadi advised the freed inmates to become change agents in society and avoid repeating the crimes that led to their incarceration. He also urged the police to conduct diligent investigations before charging suspects to court, emphasizing the importance of proper legal procedures.
The State Controller of Correctional Service, Madumere Felix C, expressed gratitude to the Chief Judge for the exercise and highlighted the challenges faced by the correctional service.
He disclosed that the maximum correctional centre has 503 inmates on death row and over 2,500 inmates in total, far exceeding its capacity. Felix called on the Chief Judge to help channel the service’s challenges to the state government for support and assistance.
Rivers Chief Judge Frees 21 Awaiting Trial Inmates is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
