The Nation Newspaper

Tag: inmates

  • Ogun CJ releases 39 inmates

    OGUN State Chief Judge Olatokunbo Olopade has ordered the release of 39 inmates in four of the state’s five prisons.

    Twelve inmates were released at Ilaro, nine at Oba, 12 at Abeokuta and eight at Ijebu-Ode, after the chief judge visited the four prisons.

    She also visited the Sagamu Prison.

    Justice Olopade said the exercise, which was to have taken place in July, was moved to this month following the judicial workers’ strike.

    “Even though the courts are on vacation, we will ensure the welfare of the inmates and decongest the prisons by setting free those inmates awaiting trial on the grounds of no–case file and some inmates who have no charges against them,” she said.

    Justice Olopade, who noted that the gesture would bring succour to the released inmates, hoped that they would have learnt their lessons and would live as good citizens.

    She said the government had assured that it would assist the criminal justice sector.

    This, the chief judge added, would ensure that criminal cases were brought to court promptly by approving funds for the duplication of case files to eradicate delay in justice dispensation.

    She said the Ministry of Justice would be provided with adequate funds to bring witnesses to court to fast-track criminal cases.

    The chief judge appealed to the police command to work effectively with the ministry in the discharge of their duties toward speedy dispensation of justice.

    The state Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Joseph Olanrele, lamented the lack of adequate facilities in the prisons.

    He noted that some inmates had been in prison custody since 2008 without trial, leading to congestion in prisons.

    Such a situation, he said, could lead to a security breach.

  • Succour for Edo prisoners

    Succour for Edo prisoners

    Inmates of the Nigeria Prisons at Ubiaja in Esan South East Local Government Area of Edo State used to depend on non-governmental organisations and individuals for daily supply of water to supplement what the prison authorities were providing.

    The prison inmates’ water problem has however been solved following the construction of an industrial borehole by the council boss, Joseph Ikpea, at the council secretariat. Potable water is provided for the inmates as the prison is adjacent to the secretariat.

    Ikpea said the water project was among 46 projects his administration has executed within one year despite dwindling allocation from the federal allocation.

    He spoke at a reception organised by the local government to enable him give report of his achievements to the people.

    The council boss who was a founding member of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria which later because APC denied rumors that he planned to defect the PDP. He said his concerns were to replicate Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s developmental strides at the grassroots.

    To tackle insecurity in the area and ensure safety of traders, Ikpea constructed security surveillance posts on the Ewohimi Onishugbo road, Okhusesan and Ubiaja and Ewatto/Okhuesan.

    He said: “Beside Illushi community, every other community, ward have be touched in one form or the other by this administration in the last one year within the limit of resources accrued to the council. The council is at the verge of striking a peace accord with the warring factions in Illushi crisis. We have converge series of peace talk in conjunction with other stakeholders and I am sure soonest the crisis will be a thing of the past and I equally promise to done more in the next two years.

    “Other projects constructed by Ikpea administration included construction of magistrate court in Ubiaja, purchase and supply of 1, 75KVA generator to supply light from Idumu Iyase to Uhomhedho Ewatto, construction of 92 lock-up stores, 34 public toilets and renovation primary schools, purchase of eighteen seater Toyota Hiace Bus for NULGE and grading of 6 newly created earth roads from Ewatto to Udeneria in Igueben, Idumu-Iselu – Ozogwo, Idumu- Iselu – Uhoumhebho, Ibhiadan –Ewu –Ewekwa road amongst others.

    “As part of my cardinal commitment towards human development and capacity building, my administration has also reeled out scholarship to indigenous students , gave free loans for women empowerment , provision of agricultural facilities to farmers and computerisation of the entire council offices.”

    Ikpea said free health care services were available for women and children and that medical equipment were provided at various medical centers in the locality.

    Executive Director, Edo State Rapid Response Agency, Elder Sam Eboiegbe, who spoke at the event, urged the council boss to imbibe the culture of interacting with the people and intimating them of his activities  quarterly.

    ‘’Joe Ikpea is a hard working chairman, he was able to do some of what he said he was going to do because you cannot do everything at a time . So for one year he reeled out the catalogue of what he has done and every body saw it, they were in black and white, they were written down, they were documented, I read it, many people read it because they were distributed and the communities where those projects are sited, they are there and one can go there to see what he said he has done. He really did all what he said but the only little thing I am waiting for is the commissioning. The day he will invite the people, party leaders, even the governor, to commission all the projects he has done within one year in Esan South East.

    ‘’So, it is a very big achievement.  He has done very well and I will commend him for that and the followership because it means that his vice chairman, his executive and legislators they are working together in harmony . I m personally happy with what he has done, what he has showcase to us. I was personally there I read all that happened I even encourage him to always converge a town hall meeting quarterly like he did that day, so that he will review and see what he has done, what is to be done so that in future we know where we are going to.‘’

  • Philanthropist lifts prison inmates

    Philanthropist lifts prison inmates

    It was a day of immense joy for the inmates of Abia Prison Command as Chief David Ogba Onuoha the Chief Executive Officer of Bourdex Group and a Senatorial aspirant for Abia North Senatorial zone on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) visited the Controller of Prisons Abia State Command, Mrs. Ukwuori Ndukwo Kalu to donate mattresses to prison inmates.

    While presenting the 200 mattresses to the prison inmates in Umuahia, Onuoha said he is performing his civic duties as a responsible citizen of the state to complement the efforts of both the state and Federal Governments in alleviating the sufferings of the masses.

    Onuoha further said prison facilities are not places for punishment but where

    correction and reformation are carried out, saying both the state government

    under the leadership of Governor Theodore Orji and the Federal Government with Goodluck Jonathan as President, have done a lot for the less-privileged people in the country.

    He said the prison inmates should be reformed to serve the society when they finish serving their prison terms, stressing that when they are reformed, they will be of good service to the people of the state and the country.

    The businessman said the Controller of Prisons Abia State Command Mrs. Kalu, has done well in the maintenance of the prisons in the state, even as he thanked the Federal Government for her appointment.

    He urged the Controller of Prisons to distribute the mattresses to all the prisons in the state to enable the inmates to have quality rest while they sleep, stressing that when a man rests well, he or she will think well and will not have the time to think about committing crimes.

    Onuoha also said the 200 mattresses worth N2 million will help in alleviating the sufferings of the members of the Abia prisons.

    “The next step for me and my organisations will be to move to the motherless

    Babies’ Homes in continuation of my empowerment programmes for the youth and the indigent women in the state.”

    He warned that people should not associate what he has done for the prison inmates with his political ambition, adding that let those who have political ambition not start scampering to overdo each other because he has done it.

    “If they must donate to the less-privileged in the state, they must do it from their hearts and not to curry cheap political favour.”

    Receiving the mattresses, Mrs. Kalu thanked the donor for his kind gesture to the inmates.

    While commending his efforts, she said not many people in the state could remember the people in the prisons.

    Mrs. Kalu used the opportunity to thank the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji and his wife Mercy for their support to the prison inmates and for ensuring that peace and unity reign in the state. This, she said, has given people like Onuoha the opportunity to be in the state and remember the prison inmates without any fear of losing their lives.

    She noted that the issue of reformation and rehabilitation of prison inmates in the state should not be left in the hands of prison officers alone, but should be a collective responsibility.

    “This is so because if they are released without proper reformation, there is the likelihood that they could go back to crimes and the residents of the state will be the victims,” she said.

  • Group secures freedom for detained inmates

    A human rights organisation,  the Set the Captives Free Foundation International (SCFFI), has secured the release of six awaiting trial inmates.

    The detainees were freed for want of diligent prosecution. One was kept in prison for being unable to meet a N20,000 bail condition;  in two instances, the inmates stayed behind bars after their cases were struck out in their absence by a magistrate.

    Among those released include Hosbert Agara, Usman Alade, Okechukwu Maxi, Chinebere Clark, Sunday Bada, Grace Musa, the foundation’s President, Evangelist C.C. Odo Michael, a lawyer, said in its October 2013-April 2014 report issued in Lagos.

    Agara was charged before a Surulere Magistrate’s Court with alleged indecent assault and rape. He was detained for over one year. The case suffered six adjournments and no prosecution witness ever attended court.

    When SCFFI filed a motion asking that the case be dismissed for want of diligent prosecution, the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) then issued a legal advice upon being served with the motion, and a prosecutor came to the court for the first time at the next hearing.

    Being a bailable offence, the foundation paid the bail bond deposit of N20,000, and Agara was granted temporary freedom on April 9.

    Alade was arraigned on July 5, 2013 for an alleged crime of defilement. No prosecution witness ever attended court to testify. The foundation applied that the case be struck, and the court did so on February 25.

    Maxi’s was also a case of alleged defilement. He was arraigned on July 3, 2013. No witness came forward to testify. On March 31, the case was struck out.

    The story of Clark and Bada is unusual. Their cases were struck cases due to lack of diligent prosecution, but no lawyer was present to represent either the prosecution or defence that day. None of the accused persons was in court.

    Subsequently, the magistrate struck out the case in absence of the defendants. Apparently not aware of the development, prison authorities kept them behind bars for several months.

    SCFFI intervened and discovered that the two had no business remaining in prison custody. It pursued their cases and secured their freedom.

    Musa was arraigned for alleged “breach of peace” by using insulting language against another person. She was arraigned on January 16 and released on bail. The case was adjourned for trial on three occasions and the complainant and prosecution never came to court for once.

    On April 2, SCFFI’s lawyers urged the court to strike out the case for lack of diligent prosecution. The court struck out the case.

    Michael urged judges and magistrates not to strike out cases in the absence of accused persons.

    He said the court could order prison authorities to produce the detainees before striking out their case, to avoid a situation where someone remains in prison for months because the court’s decision was not communicated either to him or the prison authorities.

  • ‘Awaiting Trial inmates our major problem’

    It was moment of excitement for inmates of the Kuje Maximum Prison when they were re-assured that their current situation was temporary. They were encouraged to be hopeful that they could still achieve greatness when they regain their freedom. Those were messages of hope on Easter Monday which will remain indelible in the minds of the inmates who danced to the rhythm of soul-lifting music, even as they participated in other fun-filled activities to commemorate the season. The event was organised by Wazobia FM, a popular radio station in Abuja. Tagged ‘Prison Break’, the event aimed at encouraging the inmates to remain focused while their matters are on in the various law courts. Expressing his worry over the prevailing criminal justice system in the country, the Controller of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Command, Mr. Kasali Yusuf said out of over 640 inmates, about 500 are on the Awaiting Trial list in Kuje Prison, adding that the facility has 16 Condemned Criminals (CC). Yusuf revealed that the high number of inmates on the Awaiting Trial list has been a major concern for the prison management; even as he said efforts are on to ensure their trials are not unnecessarily delayed. He said: “The Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Bukar Ibrahim has given a matching order to the judges under him to ensure that the issue of awaiting trial is resolved. “Our major challenge here is the number of inmates who are on Awaiting Trial list and who have stayed too long in this prison. The fact that they are in prison does not mean that all hope is lost. Quite a number of them who are in prison are for the benefit of all. And most of them are Awaiting Trial and by the Nigerian law the Awaiting Trial inmates are still innocent until proven guilty by a competent law court. “Being in prison does not indicate that all hope is lost.. Some of the inmates are here as a result of youthful exuberant, association with bad gangs, which consequence they do not know. “Some inmates have spent up to 10 years and above on the Awaiting Trail list. But since the Chief Judge assumed duty, the Criminal Administration Committee meeting has become effective. We have been talking. Two weeks ago, we had a meeting in which we discussed how to improve the criminal justice system in the FCT in such a manner that people who commit criminal offences would not stay unnecessarily too long in prison as Awaiting Trial, especially staying longer than the period they would have stayed if they had been convicted. “The National Human Right Commission was also here to access the Awaiting Trial situation in the prison and they left with some facts which they would work on. As at today, we have over 500 inmates on the Awaiting Trial list out of over 641 inmates. Among this figure are 16 condemned inmates.” A human rights lawyer, Kelvin Nwosu assured the Awaiting Trial inmates that he would work with the FCT to quicken the justice system to guarantee their speedy trial. “Where you are today is temporary and it has expiry date. You can also contribute by quickening the date to expire. Those of you that are on the Awaiting Trial list should keep on praying and working with your lawyers. Tell your lawyer to push your case because some lawyers are also not helping matters. They, sometimes, abandon your case. “By the grace of God the law is changing to enable speedy trial of Awaiting Trial inmates.” Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro also gave hope to those inmates who have lost confidence in the judicial system. Moro, who was represented by one of his Special Assistants said: “The fact that they are locked up here does not mean all hope is lost. There is still something good that can come out of them. We need to show them love in this Easter period, for it is a season of love. We cannot give up on anybody. My advice to the inmates is to change their ways, turn away from evil and embrace Christ. Once they have Christ with them, they will not go into crisis.” The Head Presenter Wazobia FM, Nwokedi Moses popularly known as ‘Big Moor’ said: “What brought about this is the congestion in the Nigerian prisons and how to help in decongesting them. We discovered that when the inmates are released and they do not have any means of livelihood, they will go back into crime and that indirectly takes them back into the prison. Such situation is not good for the society. We decided to start up a campaign tagged ‘Prison Break’ to educate and motivate them to know that they can be champions of freedom.”

  • 50 prison inmates give life to Christ

    Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese, Right Reverend Dr Alexander Chibuzor Ibezim, yesterday performed the sacrament of confirmation on more than 50 prison inmates in the Federal Prison, Amawbia, assuring them of God’s salvation if they are steadfast in upholding God’s glory, having repented of their sins.

    Ibezim admitted 10 others into the father’s fellowship at the Chapel of Compassion, Federal prisons.

    In his sermon, Bishop Ibezim observed that God destined the youths and all men to succeed in a godly way rather than through foul means.

    “So, they need to live a life of integrity as their future lies in the hand of God,” he said.

    The clergy further informed that most great men like Joseph, Peter, Apostle Paul and Silas, as was recorded in the Holy Bible, had been to prison.

     

     

     

  • CJ pardons 51 awaiting-trial inmates

    The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade, yesterday released 51 awaiting trial inmates from five prisons.

    They were released from Abeokuta, Oba, Ilaro, Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu prisons.

    Justice Olopade said those released had spent between three and five years in custody without trial.

    She regretted that the case files of some of them could not be found.

    “The judiciary is to work harder to ensure that old cases are quickly dispensed, especially those of 2010 and 2011.

    “Old cases that have been identified would be sought after and dispensed with in time.

    “By October, all old cases would have been treated. The magistrates and the Directorate of Public Prosecution are working toward this,” Justice Olopade said.

    She urged the released inmates to be of good character and avoid any act capable of making them return to the prison.

    The offences of those released range from armed robbery to house breaking and entry, among others.

    The Comptroller of Prison, Mr. Adam Babatunde, hailed the Chief Judge for the initiative.

    He said the prison service would collaborate with the judiciary.

  • 54 freed inmates re-arrested in Ondo

    The Ondo State Police Command yesterday said 54 freed inmates have been re-arrested and returned to the Olokuta Prison.

    Its spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said yesterday’s report was a fallacy and a misrepresentation of what transpired during the attack.

    The command refuted the report that 10 travellers were killed during Sunday’s invasion by gunmen.

    Ogodo said nobody died during the jailbreak, stressing that the attack was aimed at freeing some members of the gang, who were in prison custody.

    He said the attackers were bandits, and not Boko Haram members as being speculated.

    “I want to tell the public that nobody died. The media should crosscheck their facts before going to bed,” Ogodo said.

    According to him, efforts are on to re-arrest other fleeing inmates.

    A group, Ondo Awareness Security Network, has attributed the attack to police lapses.

    It noted that security in the state, which has been porous in recent time, gave the armed robbers the opportunity to operate.

    A statement by the group’s Chairman, Sola Odundun, slammed the police for security lapses.

    According to the statement, if the police were fully on ground in Akure before and during the attack, the operation would have failed.

    The group said before the Sunday jailbreak, the activities of night marauders were high in Akure and other towns.

    The group said with the jailbreak, robbery and other crimes would be rampant in some parts of the state.

    The statement reads: “In recent times, police have not been up-and-doing in the area of crime control in some areas of the state. Hardly will a day pass without robbers not striking in Akure and other towns.

    “Kidnapping and other crimes, such as armed robbery have become the order of the day.

    “We urge the police to wake up from their slumber and face the insecurity squarely before the situation gets out of hand.”

    Reacting to the allegation, police spokesman Mr. Ogodo said the group’s opinion was based on ignorance.

    He said the prison service had its security guards trained to provide security.

    Ogodo refuted the allegation that crime was high in the state. He urged the group to get its facts instead of relying on hearsay.

  • HRF brings TV show for prison inmates

    HRF brings TV show for prison inmates

    THE Human Rights Foundation, in line with its mission to rehabilitate, educate and provide opportunities for inmates of Nigerian prisons to be productive citizens, recently launched a reality television programme tagged Take it Back.

    Throwing light on the TV show and its expected impact on the lives of inmates, Executive Director of the Foundation, Victor Fakunle, explains that Take it Back is basically a means of gaining lost grounds because, according to him, a lot of the times, after going through the rigours of getting the inmates released, they have nowhere to go.

    “Take it Back is basically a reformation project, a rehabilitation project that focuses on behavioural change and at the same time brings entertainment to the public. Basically, we will be giving the inmates a platform where they will be showcasing their creativity,” he says.

    Set to begin airing in the third quarter of the year, Fakunle says that auditions start in this month of May. “The competition will be within Lagos State. Lagos State is the pilot project and we have five major prisons here and so we will have contestants who will be competing with each other within all these prisons. We believe that a lot of people for the first time will see what goes on inside the prisons,” Fakunle adds.

    Lending her voice to the project, the Deputy Comptroller of Prisons Leticia Onwuli, who represented the Lagos State Comptroller of Prisons, said that Take it Back falls in line with their activities. “We are doing our bit so far, but he came with this explanation that he wants to take our inmates to the television. We are looking forward to it. We have been trying in our own little way to reform them. We have been doing this by training them in various vocations,” she said.

  • Lagos court frees five awaiting trial inmates

    An Igbosere High Court, Lagos, yesterday, ordered freed five awaiting trial inmates, who had been at the Kirikiri Prisons for over six years.

    Justice Deborah Oluwayemi released them after the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) admitted that there were no charges against them from its record.

    Abayomi Adeyemi; Saheed Toheeb; Joseph Robert; Kingsley Ewenye and Gboyega Alatise had been in prison since 2005 without trial for alleged offences ranging from armed robbery to murder.

    They were never arraigned before any court.

    They were freed following a suit instituted on their behalf by the Director of the Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative, Mr. Ahmad Adetola-Kazeem.

    In 2011, Adetola-Kazeem filed a suit for the unconditional release of 106 inmates, who had been awaiting trial for over five years.

    Eight were released by a vacation judge and 56 by the Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Philips, during her visit to the prison last year.

    Justice Oluwayemi earlier released 16 in batches.

    Adetola-Kazeem demanded the release of another eight, but a state counsel, Mrs. Rotimi Odutola, objected to it on the grounds that charges had been filed against the inmates in various courts.

    Adetola-Kazeem urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable the Ministry of Justice provide proof that the inmates had been arraigned.

    Justice Oluwayemi fixed May 20 for the Attorney-General’s Office to report on the state of the cases filed against the eight inmates, who have spent a minimum of six years each in prison awaiting trial.