The Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has granted amnesty to three prison inmates.
The affected inmates are Joseph Apan, Nureni Oladosu, and Babatunde Fagbayi.
They were released during Justice Dipeolu’s prison visit and jail delivery exercise to the Ilaro Correctional Centre in Ilaro, Yewa South local government area of the state.
Prison visit is expected to be regular exercise by the state Chief judge to review cases of deserving mates who have overstayed their terms in detention to decongest correctional facilities across the state.
She said the exercise would further decongest the facility.
During the exercise, the Chief judge was flanked by judges, the director of public prosecution, management, and officials, including the controller and assistant controller and correctional centre officials.
She decried the dire conditions plaguing correctional facilities, saying that the state cannot afford to lose inmates as a result of overcrowding.
“The conditions here at the correctional centre have not improved. It is evident that overcrowding is rampant, even without official statistics.
“This overcrowding particularly concerns those awaiting trial, as they suffer without having been found guilty”. she said.
She, however, promised swift action against decongestion, noting that while courts work to expedite cases, the root cause of congestion must be addressed.
She identified some inmates who had been awaiting trial since 2018, a situation that, according to her, was unacceptable.
In his remark, the Controller of the Correctional Centre, Saliu Adepoju, appreciated the chief judge and her entourage for the exercise, extolling her adherence to the ethics of the judiciary.
