Justice Olopade

As part of efforts at decongesting prison formations across the State, the Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Olatokunbo Olopade, has freed 13 inmates awaiting trials at the Ilaro Prisons as part of her prerogative of mercy.

Olopade said the exercise was part of plan to decongest prison formations across the State, in compliance with the directive from the Attorney General of the Federation that all State Judges should visit prison formations within their jurisdictions and free inmates with minor cases.

“The new development now is to reduce number of inmates in prisons all over the country, as part of directive from Attorney General of the Federation that all State Judges should visit prison formations within their jurisdictions and release inmates that should not be there, especially those with cases dating as far back as 2012-2014 lacking case files amongst others,” Olopade said.

Chief Judge noted that the exercise which was the second in 2017 Legal year was aimed at decongesting the prisons and release inmates who had been in custody without trial over a long period of time.

Olopade however charged all stakeholders in the administration of Justice to accelerate trial of cases and make effective use of the fast track clinics provided by the State Government to achieve the set objective of decongesting the prisons across the State.

She admonished the pardoned inmates to make the best use of the amnesty by shunning crime and criminal activities capable of bringing them back to prison.

The three-day jail delivery exercise continues with a visit to the New Abeokuta, Oba and Ibara Prisons all in Abeokuta.