Rivers CJ Frees 63 Prisoners

L-R: Commander, 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, Brig.-Gen.Stevenson Olabanji, Commander, Operation Pulo Shield, Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Chief of Defence Statff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at the inauguration of 12 refurbished gun boats and 40 bed space accommodation for personnel in Okirika, Rivers State on Monday.

As part of concerted
efforts to decongest the Port Harcourt Prisons, the Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice A.I. Iyaye Lamikanra, has set free 63 inmates from Port Harcourt Prison standing trials in the state.
Speaking during the goal (jail) delivery exercise held at the Port Harcourt Prison, Monday, Justice Lamikanra said she was exercising her powers under the administrative prison act to release the inmates.
The State Chief judge said the inmates released were considered based on many variables like health challenges, under aged and long stay without trial among others.
She charged the discharged inmates to turn a new leaf and become responsible to the society that they could hide under the cover of no job to commit crimes.
“There is no excuse of no work, you can farm, do menial jobs to earn living, you may be lucky today and not next time. Be good citizens, go and sin no more,” she stated.
The State Chief Judge promised that she would ensure that inmates standing trial in various courts across the state get speedy attention while they appear before a judge or magistrate.
Earlier in his address, the Deputy Controller of Prisons, Officer-in-Charge, Port Harcourt Prisons, Ndupu Azuka said that the prison at the moment has a total of 3,824 inmates with 3,422 standing as trial adding that such increase was the highest in the history of the prison since its establishment in 1918.
He urged the state Chief Judge to create a robust working relationship between the courts and the prisons in respect to cases of high profile suspects who are currently out of the prison as lodgers in order to provide adequate security.