The Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom, Justice Ekaette Obot, embarked on a three-day tour to correctional facilities in the State. On the course of his tour, he granted pardons to 45 inmates in different correctional Centers.
Briefing newsmen in Uyo the state capital, the CJ said the tour was to access the correctional facilities and the living conditions of the inmates.
Obot who visited correctional Centres in Ikot Abasi, Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Uyo granted pardon to 45 inmates. Three inmates were freed from Ikot Abasi, nine from Eket 11 from Ikot Ekpene and 22 were released from Uyo Correctional Center.
The chief judge who called for the decongestion of correctional facilities said some of the freed inmates have spent more years in prison than the penalty for the offense they were charged with, while some have been in detention for four to five years without being charged with Court.
She frowned at the arrest and detention of innocent persons without thorough investigation and charging them to court, as this is a breach of their constitutional rights.
She also called on the police and Director of public prosecution in the state to ensure diligence in prosecution and avoid keeping inmates in custody without trial for years as this is a dent in the justice delivery system.
Speaking on the conditions of the correctional facilities, The CJ gave a good assessment of Ikot Ekpee facility which she described as the best in Akwa Ibom State while Eket is the worst with 300 inmates for a capacity of 123.
In her words: “As I said at the beginning, Ikot Abasi was okay, and the capacity was not fully utilised. So, it was more organised than every other facility apart from Ikot Ekpene. Ikot Ekpene is the best facility we have in the state”.
“Eket is the worst of all, it is limited in space and the number is overwhelming and they are not able to cater to the inmates there”.
The chief judge advised the Custodian Centre’s authority in Abuja to approach the State Governor and the host community for a better space to relocate Eket Correctional Centre.
Dominica Ijeoma
