Abia State Chief Judge, Justice Lilian Abai has granted freedom to five awaiting trial inmates and granted bail to fourteen others at the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Umuahia.
During a jail delivery exercise carried out on Wednesday at the Correctional Centre, the Chief Judge noted it was part of the efforts to decongest the Correctional Centres across the State.
Justice Abai said that some of the inmates that were released had spent more than six years in prison while their accusers could not produce any witness against them within the period of their trials, adding that some were released on health grounds.
The CJ ordered the chief magistrates in charge of Ikwuano and Umuahia South Magisterial Districts to be sitting at the correctional center on scheduled dates – at least once every week – in order to ease off the logistics challenges Nigerian Correctional Centre officers encounter in bringing the inmates to court.
He also charged the magistrates to be diligent in their duties inorder to ensure that the delay in quick dispensation of justice is reduced to the barest minimum but cautioned the released inmates to turn a new leaf and be law abiding citizens as there might not be such opportunities for them if found guilty of any offence in future.
The Vice chairman Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Umuahia Branch, Uche Igwe described the exercise as part of the statutory duties of the chief judge and thanked God for the success of the function.
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