53 Rivers prison inmates get state pardon

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Government on Thursday granted state pardon to 53 prisoners inmates convicted for various offences at the Port Harcourt maximum  correctional centre

The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi who spoke during the exercise said the state pardon on the prison inmates was part of the weeklong programmes put in place by the state judiciary to herald the 2023/2024 legal year in the state.

He said it was also aimed at discongesting the Maximum correctional center in Port-Harcourt.

According to the Chief Judge, 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 which empowered the Chief Judge to visit the correctional center to find out number of inmates in the custody and how long they have stayed and as well release deserving ones.

He said the release of the inmates  becomes imperative as it was  committed that justice to be rightly served to ensure effective justice delivery and decongest 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 averred that a stakeholders meeting was held prior to the goal delivery exercise in other to Scrutinize the list submitted by correction centre and the DPP in other to ascertain those who have no question to answer and are languishing in the correction centre.

He used the medium to call on the police to do a discreet and thorough investigation before charging a suspect to court with out enough evidence. “Some body will steal and 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 want you to die ,you 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 some thing to do, farm, fish and learn hand work. Think for yourself, if you are struggling, people will help you when they seen ingenuity in you. When you go back the experience you have here to confined in one place and when you remember is not easy. Change you may not have second chance but if you not it might no be business as usual,” he stated.

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 services.

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

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 awaiting trial inmates and  had no information filed against them by the DPP in the High Court