Chief Judge Releases 24 Inmates From Enugu Prison

The Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Priscilla Emehelu, has set 24 inmates free from two different custodial centres within the state.

Emehelu, who was assisted by other judges in the state, also granted bail to 53 other inmates from Nsukka Custodial Centre and Enugu Custodial centre respectively.

According to her, the jail delivery exercise was in line with the provisions of Section 1(1)a-b of the criminal justice (Release from custody) Special provisions Act, laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

“It is also in line with fundamental rights enshrined under Sections 34(1) and 35 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the dignity of the human person and presumption of innocence of a person undergoing trial,’’ she said.

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However, she urged the freed inmates to be of good behavior and be law-abiding citizens as they return to the society.

Meanwhile, the Controller of Correctional Services in the state, Mr. Joseph Emelue, while reacting to the development thanked the CJ and other judges for the visit to custodial centres even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also explained that the exercise was statutory and an important variable in custodial services management because it created a ray of hope for inmates whose cases were reviewed by the chief judge.

“We have ensured strict COVID-19 protocol observation in the custodian centres and we thank God that the correctional service in Enugu State has not recorded any case of COVID-19,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the CJ had on Wednesday reviewed 200 cases at the Enugu custodial centre.

In Nsukka custodial centre, over 50 cases were heard, with two inmates set free and seven others granted bail in liberal terms.