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Lagos Govt Advocates For Adoption Of Alternative sentencing

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In it quest to decongest the prison, the Lagos State government has advocated for the adoption of alternative sentencing, The Nation reports.

Mrs Tola Akinsanya, the Director, Directorate for Citizens’ Rights, Lagos State Ministry of Justice made the made this suggestion after the directorate’s Prison Watch team ‘s quarterly visit to the Ikoyi Prison on Friday.

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“Sentences for criminal conviction can take many forms, and a conviction doesn’t always mean a trip to jail or prison. Alternative sentences can include different combinations of the following: a suspended sentence, probation, fines, restitution, community service and deferred adjudication/pretrial diversion.” she said.

Naija News gathered that She also decry the over-population issues bedeviling Ikoyi prison which was build with the capacity to accommodate only 800 immates.

“It is unfortunate that there are about 2419 inmates awaiting trial out of the total 2933 inmates. From our investigation, the reason for this include lack of legal representation, inability to pay fines imposed and inability to perfect bail conditions in court .

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“Hence, the magistrates are constrained to commit them to prison pending the time they have legal representation or when they can meet the bail conditions or pay the fines imposed on them.” she added.