Delta CJ decries rising divorce rates, social vices

Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umuokoro at the weekend decried the high rate of divorce petitions, blaming the upsurge of social vices on broken homes.

A statement by the spokesman of the Delta State High Court, Mr. Timothy Agbaragu, quoted Umuokoro as saying that the rising divorce rate was contributing to congestion in correctional homes.

The statement made available to newsmen in Asaba, said that Umuokoro spoke shortly after he released 77 inmates and granted bail to two others at Ogwashi-Uku Medium Security Custodial Centre in Aniocha South Local Government Area.

“Between January and May, 157 petitions were filed by people seeking dissolution of marriage. The trend is scary, ugly and worrisome,” Umuokoro is quoted as saying.

Also, it said that 383 inmates, out of 2, 143 warrants reviewed in the five custodial centres across the state, were either freed or granted bail.

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The chief judge observed that broken homes usually lead to juvenile delinquency which in turn leads to alarming rise in crime rate in the society.

Umuokoro advised parents to monitor their children closely and conduct adequate profile of the friends they keep.

He admonished youths to avoid bad company, saying that 80 per cent of inmates, whose ages were between 17 and 25 in Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre were from outside the state.

“Like I always say, it shows that our family system is being threatened; many parents are not doing their home work,” he said.

Umuokoro also regretted that complainants have continued to prematurely withdraw from rape cases, saying that the situation has adverse consequences.