In line with the Federal Government directive to States to decongest Correctional Centres across the country in the wake of the spread of the novel coronavirus, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has granted State pardon to 15 convicted inmates from detention facilities in the State.
While nine inmates were released from the Agodi Custodial Centre, six were set free from the Oyo Custodial Centre, Abolongo.
The news of the release was revealed by the Controller, Nigerian Correctional Service, Oyo State Command, Mr Tosin Akinrujomu, in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Service, Mr Olanrewaju Anjorin.
According to the statement, the inmates were released in line with the decision of the Federal Government to decongest Correctional Centres to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the nation’s prisons.
In the same vein, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, has ordered the release of an additional 45 inmates from the Agodi Ibadan and Abolongo Oyo Custodial Centres of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The released inmates were granted mercy after the Monitoring Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice Law duly considered the need to decongest the prisons in the face of the security challenges being faced across the State and the rights of individuals involved in the matters.
Among those released was a man whose case had been suspended for a long time because prosecution witnesses refused to show up to testify.
Speaking on the exercise, Justice Munta Abimbola said the committee went through the list of 157 inmates considered for the release and carefully selected those qualified.
Justice Abimbola, therefore, urged them not to go back to crime.
Conditions for release
Noted condition considered for the release of the inmates includes those awaiting trial, those who had spent six years and above in custody without trial, sick convicted inmates, sick inmates awaiting trial and awaiting trial inmates with minor and bailable offences.
The committee also concluded plans to give the freed inmates financial support during this period.
Both the Governor and the Chief Judge in their separate remarks urged the released inmates to be good citizens of Nigeria, engage in honest endeavours, while also maintaining social distancing and keep safe from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: VON
