Awaiting Trial Inmates represent 70 per cent of prisons population- AGF

The Attorney – General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami, SAN, has said that ‎awaiting trial inmates in the Nigerian Prisons represents 70 per cent of the prisons population in the country.

Speaking while releasing some inmates at the Bernin-Kebbi prisons, Malami said that most of the released inmates were convicted for minor offences and could not pay their fines despite been low.

Malami, who said this in Birnin-Kebbi prisons during the visit of the Presidential Committee on Prisons Reform and Decongestion, said the country cannot continue to overlook the need for non-custodial measures in our judicial ‎system.

According to him, the committee will in addition to ‎payment of fines also conduct a review of cases of inmates awaiting trials for more than five years in the select priority prisons.

The AGF said, “it was distressing to note that many of the released inmates were aged between 18 – 25 and were convicted of crimes including those of stealing onions to stealing mobile/television sets.

“Despite some‎ fines being as low as between N4,000 and 20,000, these young men could not afford to pay same and therefore languished in prison where they mixed with violent offenders.

“Indeed, it has already become starky clear from deliberations during the previous prison visit that we as a nation cannot continue to overlook the need for non-custodial measures.

“Such measures, including community service orders and probation, are clearly provided for in the administration of criminal Justice Act, 2015 and it is heartwarming to note that Kebbi State Justice Reform Team is working towards adoption of the Act in the state.

‎”Now, given that awaiting trial inmates represent 70 per cent of our prisons population, of course, any discussion on prison Decongestion that does not include working awaiting trial. Persons would be futile.

“I am pleased to announce ‎that the committee will in addition to ensuring the payment of fines also conduct a review of cases of inmates awaiting trial for more than 5 years in the select priority prisons”.

He said it is worthwhile to highlight that the activities of decongesting the prisons by the committee‎ represent the continuation of long standing effort by the federal government to reduce the numbers of inmates in prisons across the country.

The Chairman of the Committee and Chief Judge of the Federal Capital ‎High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello, also said some inmates with minor offences who have spent more than five years will be released.

He also advised magistates to be careful the kind of remand order they issue.

He said, “You can’t sentence someone without any offence. We were in one of the states and the offence written on the remand warrant was ‘intention to commit crime.

“As head of courts, we must know what those under us are doing‎ because a lot of inmates in prisons have no reason being there. We must make Nigeria’s Judiciary one of the best in the world”, he added.