‘To decongest prisons’ — Ogun chief judge pardons 49 inmates

Mosunmola Dipeolu, chief judge of Ogun, has granted pardon to 49 inmates as part of efforts to decongest correctional facilities in the state.

Dipeolu pardoned the inmates during a jail delivery exercise at Oba, Ibara and Ilaro correctional centres in Ogun.

Thirty one inmates were released from the Oba Correctional Centre, 15 from Ibara, and three from Ilaro, bringing the total number of inmates granted amnesty to 49.

Dipeolu added that cases were reviewed, leading to the freedom granted to those deemed deserving.

“We cannot afford to have deaths on our hands due to overcrowding,” NAN quoted her as saying.

“The conditions here at the correctional centre have not improved. It is evident that overcrowding is rampant, even without official statistics.

“This overcrowding particularly concerns those awaiting trial as they suffer without having been found guilty.”

At the Oba Correctional Centre, the chief judge expressed concerns over the condition of the facility.

“We cannot ignore the plight of those awaiting trial, many of whom have been incarcerated for years without conviction,” she said.

At Ibara Correctional Centre, the CJ commended managers of the facility for their efforts at maintaining a relatively better environment, urging them to do more to address other challenges.

She, however, emphasised the need for swift justice and rehabilitation, rather than mere punishment, to address the root cause of congestion.

In his remark, Saliu Adepoju, controller, correctional centre, commended  the judge for the exercise and for upholding the ethics of the judiciary.

The chief judge was accompanied by a team of judges from the state high court.