106 inmates granted amnesty in Ogun

106 prisoners have been freed in Ogun.

The Ogun State Chief Judge, Olatokunbo Olopade, on Thursday, freed 106 inmates in a bid to de-congest the prisons in the state.

Naija News gathered that Olopade pardoned the inmates during her three-day tour of prison formations at Ibara and Oba, Ilaro, Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode in the state.

It was learnt that 38 inmates were released from Oba prison, 31 in Ibara, 13 in Ilaro, 8 in Sagamu, while 16 inmates were set free in Ijebu-Ode prison.

Mrs. Olopade, state chief judges were directed by the Attorney General of the Federation to visit prison formations within their jurisdictions and release inmates who had been in custody without trial over a long period of time.

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She said the negligence of the prosecuting counsels had led to the prolonged detention of most of the inmates.

“Most of the inmates have been on awaiting adviçe from the DPP (Director of Public Prosecution) for years, and the DPP failed to render legal advice, and issues of missing case files as well as prison officers not producing inmates to court at the appropriate time are responsible for the delay in the judicial process.

“I see no point keeping people here for years without no file or delay in legal advice; it is injustice,” she said.

However, Mrs. Olopade, urged all stakeholders in the administration of justice to expedite trial of cases and also utilize the ‘fast-track clinics’ given by the state government to enhance effective prisons de-congestion.

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She also called on the prisons service to address the issue of not transporting inmates to court, adding that prisons should work with the Ministry of Justice in discharging their duties to ensure swift justice delivery to rid prisons congestion.

“The magistrates and judges are trying, we need more magistrates courts and magistrates in Ogun in order to manage legal cases,” she added.

She therefore, charged the freed inmates to desist from crime and criminality that can bring them back to prison.