The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye, has ordered the release of 57 awaiting-trial inmates from the Federal Correctional Centre in Ado Ekiti as part of efforts to decongest custodial facilities and ensure speedy justice.
The releases were granted during the Chief Judge’s official visit to the centre on Friday, where he reviewed a total of 518 cases involving 511 male and seven female inmates.
Explaining the decisions, Justice Ogunmoye said the freed inmates included “six inmates, who were granted bail, nine others released on the basis of having no case to answer and 42, who were released unconditionally based on health issues and minor offences.”
Addressing the beneficiaries, the Chief Judge urged them to live responsibly and avoid returning to crime.
“Be good ambassadors. The law will catch troublemakers in Ekiti State,” he warned.
Justice Ogunmoye also acknowledged the roles of key justice sector stakeholders in facilitating the jail delivery exercise, including the Legal Unit of the Nigerian Police Force, Ekiti State Command, the Director of Public Prosecutions, private and government lawyers, as well as court registrars.
He further commended the Comptroller of Corrections in charge of the facility, Olufemi Okuseinde, “for maintaining a hygienic environment as well as keeping the inmates healthy.”
In her remarks, Okuseinde described the Chief Judge’s intervention as a major relief for many inmates, while drawing attention to severe congestion at the centre.
She disclosed that the facility currently houses 922 inmates despite having a capacity of just 324.
The Comptroller appealed to the judiciary and the state government, particularly the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Dayo Apata, SAN, to support the construction of additional cells and buildings.
According to her, improved infrastructure would enhance proper inmate classification, sentence planning, reformation and rehabilitation.
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