Anambra Chief Judge, Discharges Inmates, Ends 2022 Jail Delivery Exercise

The Chief Judge of Anambra state, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu has discharged five inmates and granted bail to five others at Amawbia Correctional Centre, Awka the state capital, to mark the end of this year’s jail delivery exercise.

The cases for which they were detained include murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, burglary and stealing among others.

The inmates discharged include, Chinedu Nnalue, Ifeanyi Ifekwulugo, Obinna Nwafor, Sunday Matthew and Michael Obiejesi.

Those granted bails were Sunday Nwoye from Ebonyi State, Echezona Ugwueze, Uchenna Mgbike, Arinze Kenneth and Chukwuemeka Ozogbo.

More proactiveness

Delivering judgement after taking submissions from officials of the state Department of Public Prosecution, (DPP), Anambra State Ministry of Justice, and a social welfare officer at the facility, Justice Anyachebelu charged judicial officials to be more proactive and responsive in the discharge of their duties, so that no innocent person would be incarcerated as a result of official negligence.

Justice Anyachebelu who disclosed that his visit was a routine exercise, said it is one of the responsibilities of any Chief Judge of a state to visit correctional centres once a year and assured the determination of the state to lessen the plights of inmates awaiting trials at various holding facilities.

The Chief Judge assured that the state’s judiciary would administratively ensure that the correctional centres are decongested by reducing the terms of inmates through speedy trials and cautioned those freed to be of good behavior henceforth.

The Deputy Comptroller of Corrections in the facility, Mr. Echezona Okonkwo, represented by the Assistant Comptroller of Correction, Mr. Alphonsus Nwana, commended the exercise and said that inmates in the facility are being trained in various skills, urging those who have regained freedom to mend their ways and be useful to the society.

The Chief Judge during the court proceedings, treated over forty cases while those whose cases appeared before a law court and were adjourned to a close date were asked to remain in custody as they would be tried in a regular court.

Justice Anyachebelu was accompanied by six judges.

Olusola Akintonde