No fewer than 139 prison inmates awaiting trial in six prisons across Niger State have regained their freedom as the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Jibrin Ndajiwo concludes the tour? of the prisons to conduct on the spot trial of the cases.
The chief Judge embarked on the annual tour of the prisons to decongest the prisons and ensure that those who were awaiting trial were not kept in custody beyond the sentence? the offence could have carried if convicted.
Consequently those released by the chief Judge were those who had over stayed in? custody without trials and proper prosecution as well as those that have deteriorating health condition.
?Out of the 139 released, 95 are from Minna old and new prisons while the remaining 44 were released from Agaie, Bida, Suleja and Lapai in the state.
?Justice Ndajiwo reiterated that the idea behind his visit to the prison was borne out of the desire to make sure that people do not stay in the prisons longer than necessary awaiting trial.
He said: “ it is unfortunate some of them have to be here , we should not play with matter affecting our fellow human being, there is? no pleasure in keeping them here.
“My address will not be complete if I do not advise my colleagues in respect of sentences, I think we will do well when we come to sentences of convicts by tampering justice with mercy.”
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