Lagos Chief Justice frees 233 prisoners

 The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, on Tuesday during her visit to the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Prisons, freed 233 inmates, who were on awaiting trial list and some of who had spent up to 12 years in prison.

This visit was the first since the chief judge assumed office in June and is one of the activities lined up for the commemoration of the 2012/2013 new legal year of the state judiciary.

One hundred and thirty inmates were released from prison custody at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons while the remaining 103, were from the Kirikiri Medium Security Prisons.

Justice Phillips, while granting freedom to the inmates, stated that it was in line with her statutory duty to decongest the prison, saying that the exercise was carried out “in pursuant of the powers conferred on me under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007.”

According to her, the exercise will continue to be part of the legal year activities and will also come up more often than before in line with her inaugural vow.

She stated that, “there is a saying in the legal circle that it is better for 10 guilty persons to be free than for one innocent person to be incarcerated.

“We have gone through the list of those recommended for release. So for those of you who qualify to be released, you are very lucky that your names came up.
So, go and sin no more”.

The CJ also advised the inmates who regained their freedom to change for the better and ensure that they contribute their quota to the society.

“Go and sin no more and I must not see you here again,”she said.

Justice Phillips, who also noted that there had been a lot of outcry over prison congestion said that all those who qualified under the new criminal administration law would be granted freedom.

In his welcome remarks, the Deputy Comptroller of Prisons of  Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Mr Olu Tinuoye, disclosed that it was unusual for chief judges of Lagos State to visit the prison.

“By this visit, a lot of them expect freedom. It is a matter of regret that Judges in the state have not being visiting the prison regularly. This is why their expectation is very high” he said.

Tinuoye added that a lot of the inmates awaiting trials  have not found life easy behind the bars especially because they are in custody for petty offences.

Tinuoye added that the inmates have accepted their fates even as he asked for compensation for the freed men.

He also  urged officials of the committee for the prerogative of mercy to occasionally visit the prison and not papers submitted to it by prison officials.

His counterpart at the Medium Security Prison, Mr. Tunde Ladipo commended the efforts of the Lagos state government for taking care of the prisons.

He however pleaded with government for the release of more awaiting trials in order to reduce the congestion in the prison.

Ladipo said that it was the first time a sitting CJ was visiting the prison, adding that the place is no doubt congested.

“This place is no doubt congested, we want to be careful not to release those who we should not release”

At the maximum security prison, the Chief Judge was informed that they have a capacity of 1056 inmates but presently had 763 inmates while the medium security prison had 2502 inmates out of whom 124 were already convicted while 2378 were awaiting trial.

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