Oyo CJ releases 84 inmates from Agodi Prison

The Chief Judge (CJ) of Oyo State, Justice Muntar Abimbola, has
released 84 inmates from Agodi Prison in Ibadan, the state
capital.

Of the figure, 67 were released after they had reportedly
overstayed their terms in custody as well as on compassionate
ground.

The CJ said 10 others were released on health grounds, following
the recommendations of a collaborative effort between the state
chapters of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA), while seven others were released on the
ground that they had no case to answer, which was also on the
recommendation of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Those released on health grounds, according to prison officials,
include one person suffering from chronic renal disease, two people
diagnosed of multi-drug resistance tuberculosis, two suspected
renal disease patients, one incarcerate scrotal hynea, one HIV/AIDS
patient, one asthma and tuberculosis (TB) patient, one TB and lobar
pneumonia patient.

More than four others had TB.

All the released inmates were men.

The amnesty, according to the CJ, was in exercise of his powers
to visit the prisons and see how proceedings and trial of inmates
had been going.

He said this would also help to decongest the prison.

The session, which held for about eight hours at the hall inside
the Agodi Prisons, was witnessed by top judicial officers, prison
officials, officials of the Directorate of Public Prosecution
(DPP), the attorney-general, lawyers, prosecutors, police and
officials of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Justice Abimbola said: “This exercise, which is statutory, is
expected to be frequent but as a result of other official duties
and demand of the office, it is coming up now. This provisional
visit is in exercise of a statutory provision to get trial inmates
speedy trials and get the prison decongested.

“It is important and essential for us to visit the prisons, not
necessarily to decongest the prison but to ensure inmates are given
speedy trials. The power to decongest prison is not at our whims
and caprices..”

The Chief Judge (CJ) of Oyo State, Justice Muntar Abimbola, has
released 84 inmates from Agodi Prison in Ibadan, the state
capital.

Of the figure, 67 were released after they had reportedly
overstayed their terms in custody as well as on compassionate
ground.

The CJ said 10 others were released on health grounds, following
the recommendations of a collaborative effort between the state
chapters of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA), while seven others were released on the
ground that they had no case to answer, which was also on the
recommendation of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Those released on health grounds, according to prison officials,
include one person suffering from chronic renal disease, two people
diagnosed of multi-drug resistance tuberculosis, two suspected
renal disease patients, one incarcerate scrotal hynea, one HIV/AIDS
patient, one asthma and tuberculosis (TB) patient, one TB and lobar
pneumonia patient.

More than four others had TB.

All the released inmates were men.

The amnesty, according to the CJ, was in exercise of his powers
to visit the prisons and see how proceedings and trial of inmates
had been going.

He said this would also help to decongest the prison.

The session, which held for about eight hours at the hall inside
the Agodi Prisons, was witnessed by top judicial officers, prison
officials, officials of the Directorate of Public Prosecution
(DPP), the attorney-general, lawyers, prosecutors, police and
officials of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Justice Abimbola said: “This exercise, which is statutory, is
expected to be frequent but as a result of other official duties
and demand of the office, it is coming up now. This provisional
visit is in exercise of a statutory provision to get trial inmates
speedy trials and get the prison decongested.

“It is important and essential for us to visit the prisons, not
necessarily to decongest the prison but to ensure inmates are given
speedy trials. The power to decongest prison is not at our whims
and caprices..”