Osun state’s Chief Judge, Justice Adepele has granted pardon to eight awaiting trials inmate in both Ilesa and Ile-Ife custodial centres.
Five inmates regained freedom from Ilesa, while the other 3 are from Ile-Ife.
A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Corrections, Osun State Command, DSC Olusola Adeotan, disclosed that CJ said the judiciary will do it best to decongest the centres and all deserving inmates will be considered as it is not going to be a comer’s affairs.
The Chief Judge added that two factors prompted her visit and these include, “my desire to perform my statutory duties required of me under the law, as well as the pressure from the Controller of Corrections, Osun State Command, borne out of his feeling for fellow human beings.”
She thanked the Controller for his persistent calls for the visit to the Custodial Centres.
Earlier in his welcome address, Controller of Corrections in Osun, Olanrewaju Amoran, expressed his appreciation, on behalf of Controller General of Corrections, CGC, Haliru Nababa FICMC, mni, to the CJ, members of Speedy Administration of Criminal Justice Committee, and other stakeholders, for making the exercise a reality, despite several challenges.
The Controller said the exercise will douse tensions, decongest the custodial facilities, give a ray of hope and reassure other inmates.
While pleading with the CJ to make the visit more frequent, he charged the released inmates to turn over a new leaf and utilized all the values, behavioural changes, and positive attitudes inculcated in them while in custody.
Other stakeholders present during the visit were officials of the Ministry of Justice, Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, Nigeria Police, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Executive members, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ilesa and Ife branches, Justice Development and Peace Maker’s Centre of Osogbo Catholic Diocese.
Source: Vanguard
