Prison decongestion: Kwara CJ frees 16 convicts, suspects
The Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Suleiman Kawu, Thursday, pardoned 16 convicted and awaiting trial inmates of Oke Kura and Mandala prisons in Ilorin.
Speaking after a visit to the Federal Prisons located at Oke Kura and Mandala, Ilorin, the Justice Kawu said that the exercise was carried out on the request of the federal government through the state government to effect prison decongestion in parts of the country.
Kawu, who said that the exercise was not aimed to short circuit court trial, added that the inmates were granted freedom either for unlawful arrest and detention, or civil cases that required no detention.
He said that implement of arrest of some of the inmates were not available, adding that facts supplied for arresting three juvenile that were detained for allegedly belonging to a group of armed robbers did not support the fact.
It was gathered that the Oke Kura prisons with 121 capacity had a total of 425 inmates, while Mandala prisons had 160 capacity with 239 inmates.
The CJ, who said that he would henceforth pay regular visit to the prisons to effect prison decongestion, advised those freed to find something doing.
Also speaking, the officer in charge of Ilorin Prison, DCP Adeyinka Adebayo, said that facilities in the prisons were overstretched, adding that over population situation had resulted in different kind of diseases like scabies and craw craw.
Kehinde Akinpelu , Ilorin
