By Oluwatosin David.
The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Hon. Justice John Adeyeye, has set free 34 awaiting trial inmates during his official visit to the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Ado Ekiti.
Addressing the gathering, Justice Adeyeye urged stakeholders to stop using civil servants as surety for accused persons.
Justice Adeyeye said, 508 cases were reviewed, 3 were released on bail, 22 were released unconditionally and 9 others were released based on Director of Public Prosecutions’ advice that they have no case to answer.
Justice Adeyeye advised the released inmates to go and sin no more adding that long hand of the law is awaiting anyone found causing public unrest in Ekiti State, he encouraged the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Police and other Ministers in the temple of justice to be up and doing in handling criminal matters, he said, timely arraignment and assemblage of witnesses in court will help in decongesting our prisons, he urged, the Magistrates, the Police and other stakeholders in administration of criminal justice to be abreast of new laws of the land and stop usage of archaic law languages, such as, wandering, jumping fence, wounding among others, as such is no more in our laws.
In his address, Assistant Comptroller of the Centre ACC. O. Atinaro who represented the Comptroller, CC. Ojo Joseph thanked the Chief Judge and his entourage for the visit, he urged the Chief Judge to encourage more of non-custodial sentences, such as community service, he said, if the practise is fully utilised, our custodial centres would be less congested.
Others at the event include, High Court Judges, Magistrates, Lawyers, Police, Civil Society Organisations, Public Complaints Commission, Legal Aid Council, Office of Public Defenders among others.
