13 awaiting trial inmates regain freedom in Kwara

No fewer than 13 awaiting trial inmates in the Federal Prison, Oke-Kura, Ilorin, were on Tuesday freed on the order of the Kwara State Criminal Justice Committee, led by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice AyinlaBangbola.

Among them was a 20-year-old woman, MuslimatAjoke. Others are; SesanAdeyemi, Michael Taiwo, KehindeAremu, WasiuIshiaq, Friday David and Yusuf Abdullahi, AminuBala, Muhammed Hassan, SheuAmodu, HarunaMohamned, David Moses and JimohAbubakar.

Nigerian Pilot gathered that one of the inmates was said to be under-aged, six were unlawfully detained and others have spent beyond their jail term if convicted, while one Musa Yusuf, who allegedly killed his wife, was considered for bail by the committee.

Justice Bamigbola said the exercise, which was in compliance with the law, would be a continuous one with the aim of decongesting the prison.

He however warned the released inmates to be of good behaviour and avoid actions that may get them back in prison custody, even as he commended officers and men of the Prison Service in the state for keeping a clean environment and enjoined them to keep it up.

Speaking, the Controller of Prison in the state, AremoAyokanmbiAdebiyi commended the efforts of the committee on its regular visit to the prisons aimed at decongesting the prison saying: “Cases of the inmates were thoroughly investigated before the 13 deserving inmates were released on the merit of their cases for reasons ranging from having no case to answer to having stayed in prison for a period that was more than the maximum term for their alleged offence.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 16 inmates of the OlokutaMeduim  Security  Prison in Akure, on the  awaiting trial list for several years, has regained their  freedom

The  inmates heaved a sigh  of relief  and  expressed their  gratitude, as the Ondo State Chief Judge ,Hon.JusticeOlaseindeKumuyi, pronounced their  release after  several  years of  incarceration without  trial .

Justice  Kumuyi, who  led  an entourage  on  a periodic  visit  to the prison, pardoned the inmates, as part  of his efforts to  ensure quick  delivery  of justice and also  de-congest the prison.

Virtually all the released inmates have been kept in the prison  custody for  allegedly  committing capital offences, ranging from armed robbery  to murder, except three of them awaiting trial for felony, beach of peace  and for contempt of court .

Some of the beneficiaries include inmates awaiting trial for murder offences.