The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, has granted pardon to 53 inmates standing trials for various offences at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional centre.

The goal delivery exercise is part of the week-long programme put in place by the state judiciary to herald the 2023/2024 legal year in the state and also a move to decongest the correctional center in Port-Harcourt,

Justice Amadi said the release was made in compliance with the provisions of section 34 subsection 1 of the Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State and special provision act of the law of the federation.

The law empowers the Chief Judge to visit the correctional center to find out the number of inmates in the custody, how long they have stayed, and know those who should be released and those who should not .

The state Chief Judge said the release of the inmates became imperative in line with ensuring effective justice delivery and decongestion of the correctional centers .

He, however, called for effective synergy among all stakeholders in the criminal administration system, stressing that the Judiciary, correctional services, law enforcement agencies , legal organizations and community leaders must work hand-in-hand for justice to prevail in the society.

Justice Amadi stated that a stakeholders meeting was held prior to the goal delivery exercise in other to scrutinize the list submitted by the correction centre and the DPP in other to ascertain those who have no question to answer and are languishing in the correction centre.

The State Chief judge used the opportunity to call on the police to do a discreet and thorough investigation before charging a suspect to court with out enough evidence.

“Somebody will steal, but police will charge them for armed robbery instead of stealing. Some times when the people recover their stolen property, they are not ready to continue the matter in the court”, he stated.

He advised the released inmates to be of good behavior in the society and turn a new leaf of life , stressing that they may not be lucky next time if they are caught in a crime and brought back to the correction centre.

“I came here for an exercise just to make you better citizens. No one wants you to die. Tou have learnt something here. Please, I beg you all to leave evil and cult. As you go back to the village, let the change be seen in you. Don’t go back to eat your vomit, go back and find something to do: farm, fish and learn hand work.

“Think for yourself. If you are struggling, people will help you when they see ingenuity in you. When you go back, the experience you have here to have been confined in one place, and when you remember is not easy.

“Change, you may not have second chance, but if you do not, it might not be business as usual, he warned them.

Earlier in his speech, the comptroller of the State Correction Service, Mr Felix Lawrence, in his remarks, commended the criminal justice system Administration in the State for effective services in the decongestion of the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Center.

Lawrence disclosed that he met over four thousand inmates when he took over in June 2022, stressing that the number has dropped to a thousand lower due to the consistent goal delivery exercise by the Chief Judge.

Our correspondent reports that those inmates granted pardon were those who had been in the correction centre for five and nine years respectively, and standing trial as awiating trial inmates and had no information filed against them by the DPP in the High Court.

By: Akujobi Amadi