The Chief Judge of Ebonyi State, Justice Elvis Ngene has granted freedom to 24 inmates from both Abakaliki and Afikpo Correctional facilities in the state.
One of the affected inmates included an SS1 student who was arrested by the police for allegedly stealing a street bulb.
The teenage inmate was said to have spent over three years in the prison custody without any case file before Ngene came to his rescue.
Another inmate accused of defilement spent three years in jail without any formal complaint or documentation. He was also set free on bail by the judge.
During the jail decongestion exercise, Justice Ngene explained that the jail delivery was made possible sequel to the powers vested on him by 1999 Constitution as amended, which was aimed at decongesting the overcrowded custodial centres.
He pointed out that the exercise was not to throw open the facility gates for suspects to go, rather, it is to provide succour to them, especially those who might have overstayed their sentence in the centre if they were tried and convicted to serve their terms.
“The exercise is also to grant bail to those who have been in custody over minor cases which are bailable offences and whose information on their cases had not been filed.
“The jail delivery is not for those standing trial for capital offences or those whose cases are already before courts of competent jurisdictions.
“Yes, the exercise will be regular. Another exercise will be carried out in December at the centres,” he said.
At Afikpo Correctional Center, the Chief Judge discharged one inmate while the nine others were granted bail on various conditions. While at Abakaliki, he granted bail to 14 inmates making them a total 24 lucky inmates.
Some of the inmates included an SS1 male student of Government Technical College in the state (name withheld) who was accused of conspiracy, stealing and vandalisation of public light.
He was locked up for about three years without a case file.
When asked for reasons for the offence, the teenage boy disclosed that he intended to use the said stolen bulb to design his craft work. However, he said he had learnt his lessons and pleaded for mercy.
Another inmate was accused of alleged defilement and locked up for three years and three months without any information filed against him.
The Chief Judge granted him bail in the tune of N300, 000, an adult surety resident within the jurisdiction and to be suggested by the defence counsel.
Lamenting the overpopulation crisis in custodial facilities, the Comptroller of Corrections in Ebonyi State, Mrs. Vera Ogwude called for more frequent decongestion exercises.
She said, “We are supposed to lock up only 385 inmates but currently, we have 1,195 inmates in Abakaliki Correctional facility. We are very grateful that the state Chief Judge promised to return for the same exercise in the month of December. We want it to be more frequent.”
Highlighting some of the challenges confronting Correctional Service, Ogwude stated, “Some of the challenges faced by correctional facilities in the state are that the buildings are not befitting, feeding of the inmates is inadequate, the sick inmates are not given adequate health care delivery, and we need more drugs and other consumables for our medical center. We also need more utility vehicles that can take the inmates either to the hospitals or courts.”
