The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Prison

  • Damilola Taylor’s killer returns to prison

    Damilola Taylor’s killer returns to prison

    One of Damilola Taylor’s killers is back in prison for a third time on Wednesday after he was arrested again.

    Ricky Preddie, 25, has been taken into custody after police found a stolen motorbike at his bail hostel in Richmond, Surrey.

    Preddie was first jailed for eight years in 2006 after he and his brother Danny stabbed 10-year-old Damilola in the neck with a broken bottle as he walked home from the library in Peckham, south-east London.

    The schoolboy bled to death in 2000, in a case that shocked Britain, and now his killer has been linked with an £800 red Suzuki motorbike taken in a burglary, five months after he was last released.

    Damilola’s father, Richard, 64, on Wednesday expressed his fury at the depressing ‘prison merry-go-round’ linked to his son’s death.

    “He should now stay in prison. If he had been jailed for life for killing my son in the first place, we wouldn’t have this prison merry-go-round,” he told the Sun.

    Mr. Taylor has said he and his brother should be hanged, saying the last time Ricky was released in January 2012: “He has not served enough time behind bars for what he did.

    “He has not had the opportunity to reflect on what he has done and it is obvious he will return to criminality.”

    The killer appeared at a court in Wimbledon in December dressed in a smart grey Barbour jacket, brown combat trousers and sporting a large bandage over his left ear.

    Preddie pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing of being in possession of a stolen red Suzuki motorbike worth £800 between October 31 and December 10 last year.

    Defence counsel Rosemary Ollenson confirmed there was no appeal for bail as Mr. Preddie was out on licence at the time of the alleged offence.

    Chair magistrate Mrs. Amanda Otway, said: “Your trial date is February 6. You are going to be remanded in custody until that date for the same reasons as last time.”

    It appears that Preddie cannot stay away from trouble as he continues to lurch between bail hostels and prison.

    He was first freed in September 2010 after four years in jail – only half his sentence for Damilola’s manslaughter – and was told he must stay away from his old area, and other places in south London he used to visit with his gang.

    But only six months later he was recalled after returning to the Peckham estates he terrorised as a boy.

    On January 25 last year, he was freed for a second time but got in trouble again only 16 days after being released.

    Preddie was spotted entering a South London estate to meet up with fellow gang members, again breaching the terms of his release.

     

  • Court remands ‘Ladipo market leader’ in prison

    The embattled factional leader of the Aguiyi Ironsi International Market, popularly called “Ladipo Market”, Mr. Jonathan, was on Monday returned to Ikoyi Prison following the unavailability of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.

    Okoli, 50, was arraigned on November 5 before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, on a seven- count charge of riots, attempted murder, illegal possession of fire arms, assault and demanding of property with menace, among others.

    The prosecutor, Mr. Chukwu Agu, who is the officer in charge of the Legal Department, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, had told the court that the defendant with others at large, on March 5 at about 11am at Ladipo, caused terror to traders within the market and the neighbourhood.

    He said Okoli attempted to kill one Ejike Maduchukwu by inflicting several  machete cuts on him.

    Agu said the alleged offence contravened Sections 409, 45(2), 228(2), 229, 410, 51 and 166(d) of the Criminal Law as of Lagos, 2011.

    Okoli’s pleas were not taken at his arraignment because the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case and he was remanded in custody.

     

  • Prison Service gets new name

    Prison Service gets new name

    The Nigerian Prison Service got a new name yesterday. It is now “The Nigerian Prisons and Correctional Service.”

    This followed the third reading and passage of “A Bill for an Act to repeal the Prisons Act Cap. P29 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and enact the Nigerian Prisons and Correctional Service, to make comprehensive provisions for the administration of Prisons in Nigeria and for related purposes” by the Senate.

    According to the Bill, the name change is “to underscore the humane aspect of the reform focus of prisons administrations and to conform to provisions in the international instrument.”

    The lawmakers undertook a clause-by-clause consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Interior after a motion moved by its Chairman, Abubakar Bagudu.

    The Senate also approved a recommendation that deleted the words ‘hard labour’ and replaced it with ‘prison labour’.

    The Senators noted that “hard labour” is an inheritance from colonial era and should be deleted and replaced with “prisons labour.”

    The Bill also empowered the State Comptroller of Prisons to reject additional prisoners where the prison in question is already filled to capacity.

    Section 6 (4, 5,6) states: “In the event that the prison has exceeded its maximum capacity, the State Comptroller shall notify the Chief Judge of the State or the State Criminal Justice Committee.

    “Upon receipt of the notification the Chief Judge or the State Criminal Justice Committee shall within a period not exceeding one month take necessary steps to rectify the overcrowding.

    “Without prejudice to subSection 4, the State Comptroller of Prisons in consultation with the Prison Superintendent shall have the power to reject more intake of prisoners where it is apparent that the prison in question is filled to capacity.”

    Senate President David Mark hoped the Bill would bring the required changes to the prison system in the country.

    He urged prison officials to ensure that prisoners do not become “more hardened” after serving their sentences but become better citizens.

     

  • Two shot dead in Rivers prison revolt

    Two shot dead in Rivers prison revolt

    Two inmates of the Federal Prisons in Ahoada, headquarters of Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State, have been shot dead by the operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and policemen. They were attempting to escape through the ceiling after a jail break.

    Despite the quick intervention of the security agencies, four of the prisoners escaped. Nine of the inmates who were wounded are undergoing treatment.

    The Ahoada prison, meant for 200 inmates, is holding 502 prisoners, leading to overcrowding. This angered the inmates, who launched the massive protest.

    Prisoners forced open the cells of the Awaiting Trial inmates were forced open. Many of them escaped through the broken wall. This was after some of them returned from fetching water outside the prison.

    The prison serves both Rivers and neighbouring Bayelsa States, where a prison is still under construction.

    It was learnt that the inmates also expressed displeasure that the Chief Judges of Rivers and Bayelsa states had not been visiting Ahoada Prisons for the regular jail delivery activity, which was recently carried out at the Federal Prisons in Port Harcourt.

    The Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in Ahoada, Mr. Aderibigbe Lawal failed to respond to text messages. He also did not pick his calls.

    Minister of Interior Abba Moro yesterday condemned the jail break.

    In a statement in Abuja by his Special Assistant, Mr. George Udoh, Moro noted that six prisoners who were critically injured while being prevented by the security officers in the process of escaping from the prison were taken to the hospital and they are now back in the prison but: “only four prisoners escaped during the attack”.

    The prisoners broke the office of the chief warder and carted away vital documents. They also burnt other documents.

    They vandalised the prison’s clinic and pulled down its walls.

    The Minister said measures had been taken to strengthen the security in and around the prison and to arrest the four fleeing prisoners.

    “The Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) is seriously on top of the situation as the agency is working hard to restore peace to the area.

    “We want to appeal to the general public to cooperate with the government in its bid to transform our prison service. The public should also not hesitate to make available vital information to the security agencies to get rid of crime in our society,” he said.

    A source, who was at the prison yesterday, but would not want his name mentioned, said the inmates were angry with the Federal Government over the overcrowding of the facility.

    The source said: “The inmates of Ahoada Prisons are always sent outside the prisons to fetch water and look for firewood for cooking in the prisons, as well as engaging in other menial works outside the prisons.

    “On Saturday evening, some of the inmates were sent outside the prisons to fetch water. When they returned with the water, the warders wanted to return them to their cells, but they refused. One of the inmates picked a cooking pot and used it to hit one of the warders.

    “The protesting inmates then proceeded to the locked ATM cells and forced the locks open with iron rods, with the inmates joining others in the violent protest. At that point, the operatives of the JTF and policemen arrived at the prisons, but some of the inmates had already escaped through the broken wall, which is just being fixed.

    “I can confirm to you that four of the inmates escaped and nine of them are wounded, but being treated. Before the protest, the inmates had complained of overcrowding at the facility meant for 200 persons, but now having 502 inmates.”

    Rivers police spokesman Ben Ugwuegbulam confirmed the jailbreak and killing of the two inmates.

    Ugwuegbulam said: “Around 1700hrs (5 pm) on Saturday, inmates of the Federal Prisons, Ahoada attempted breaking out unlawfully from custody. Ahoada police area command swiftly mobilised to the scene and together with other security agencies, cordoned off the entire perimeter of the prisons.

    “Consequently, the escaping inmates retreated to the confines of the prisons. Two of the inmates that tried escaping through the ceiling were shot at, to prevent their escape and were fatally-wounded (killed) in the process. The situation has been brought under control.”

    The Chairman of Ahoada East Local Government, Chief Cassidy Ikegbidi, who condemned the jailbreak, lauded the security agencies for their quick intervention.

    Ikegbidi, who spoke through his Press Secretary, Mr. Blessed Oyagiri, said: “It is wrong for the inmates to take the law into their own hands. The people of the local government area should go about their lawful businesses without fear of molestation, as security of lives and property is guaranteed.

    “I commend the security agencies in the area for their quick intervention. I wish to condemn the act exhibited by the inmates.”

    It will be recalled that the devastating floods affected Ahoada East local government area, where eight of the victims died, according to the Chairman of the Rivers State Flood Relief Committee, Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru.

  • Governor’s wife pays fines to free 40 prisoners in Borno

    Governor’s wife pays fines to free 40 prisoners in Borno

    Forty inmates of the Maiduguri Maximum Security Prison regained their freedom on Wednesday after the wife of Borno governor, Mrs Kashim Shettima, paid about N600,000 fined them by the courts.

    The convicts had the fine option or serve their jail terms.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the money was paid through her pet project- the Support for Widows, Orphans and Tsangaya Children (SWOT).

    Speaking at the event, the SWOT Secretary, Mallam Abdulsalam Mohammed, said that Shettima was deeply touched by the plight of the inmates.

    “She was deeply touched by the plight of the inmates who are mostly young men.

    “Hence, she decided to pay the fine option so that they can regain their freedom.”

    Mohammed said the gesture was part of Nigeria’s 52 anniversary celebration.

    He also presented 50 bags of 50 kg rice to other inmates as part of the celebration.

    Mohammed said the foundation was established to provide support to the less privileged and vulnerable

    members of the society.

    Alhaji Yusuf Garba, the Deputy Controller of Prison in charge of the facility, thanked Shettima for the gesture and urged the freed inmates to be of good behaviour. (NAN)

  • Prison congestion

    Prison congestion

    •Lagos CJ’s example should be sustained even as stakeholders must facilitate the criminal justice system

    We scoff at official lassitude to the salient issue of prison congestion despite the fact that the matter requires urgent national attention, especially with many of the inmates awaiting trial for years. This depraved official attitude is better underscored by the ennui shown to this over-flogged matter by successive administrations in the country. We had thought the democratic dispensation would make a difference but it has not; little has changed in this regard since the return to civil rule in 1999.

    The Federal Government seems bereft of ideas on the way forward. Abba Moro, its Minister of Interior, recently bemoaned its helplessness in remedying the situation. Moro reportedly said: ‘34,000 of the 42,000 inmates in Nigerian prisons are awaiting trial and a good percentage of them have been incarcerated for at least five years’. He also observed that not less than 1,000 Nigerians are daily dumped in various prisons and remain there for over three years without trial. Yet, he has no clue as to what should be done or is planned to ameliorate the deplorable prison situation.

    While we doubt Moro’s statistics in view of the poor record-keeping profile of the nation (the figures could be much higher), we applaud Justice Ayotunde Philips’, the 14th Chief Judge of Lagos Sate, who seized the occasion of commencement of the 2012/2013 legal year in the state to release a record 233 awaiting trial inmates at the Kirikiri Prisons. The breakdown: 130 inmates from the Maximum Prison and: 103 inmates from the Medium Prison.

    This kind gesture exercised pursuant to the chief judge’s power under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody) (Special Provision Act) Cap L40, Laws of Federation 2007 is long overdue if the essence of justice in criminal justice system must be achieved. For instance, how can one explain that 2,378 of the 2,502 inmates in the Kirikiri Medium Prison alone are awaiting trial? Only 124 were already convicted with just four on life sentence. Overall, over 80 per cent of inmates in Nigerian prisons are awaiting trial.

    We recollect that as far back as February, 2008, Amnesty International came out with a report titled; ‘Prisoners’ rights systematically flouted’, in which it pointed out federal authority’s tepid approach to prison sector reform. If the avalanche of recommendations of several committees set up by government to help chart the way forward on prison congestion have been implemented by successive governments, the matter should have become history.

    Unfortunately, the governments failed to take the bold step necessary to eradicate a criminal justice system that encourages prolonged detention and overcrowding in prison yards. Rather, it seems to derive pleasure in touting its phantom respect for the rule of law. We ask: What has the government done to improve prison infrastructure in about a decade? Nothing seems to have been done to improve the prosecution chain that delays arraignment due to poor investigative skills, inadequate Black Maria to convey suspects to courts and more importantly, inadequate/and incessant transfer of judges, among others.

    But Justice Philips’ generous amnesty to inmates would only be meaningful in decongesting the prisons if it could be made a routine and not a one off-thing by her and her colleagues in other states. Above all, the debilitating situation in the prisons demands a declaration of an emergency so as to allow for a complete overhaul of the current criminal justice system that inflicts unjustifiable punishment on inmates that may forever not get justice.