During her visit to the prisons, Justice Ekaette Obot, the chief judge of Akwa Ibom State, released 45 prisoners from all around the state.
The Chief Judge made this disclosure while briefing reporters in Uyo on Friday following a three-day visit to the state’s correctional facilities.
Obot demanded that the Eket Correctional Center be moved in order to relieve congestion and improve inmate supervision.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Chief Judge paid visits to the prisons at Ikot Abasi, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, and Uyo.
According to NAN, during the visit, three inmates from Ikot Abasi were pardoned, nine inmates from Eket were released and found not guilty, 11 inmates from Ikot Ekpene were also freed, while 22 inmates were released from the prisons in Uyo.
Several of the released prisoners, according to the head judge, had served more time in the prisons than the punishment for the crime they were accused of.
According to Obot, some of the prisoners had been housed in the facilities for four to five years without being brought to justice.
She urged the freed inmates to engage themselves in useful ventures and stay away from crimes as they might not be lucky to have another chance.
The chief judge said the Ikot Abasi facility was good enough in the state while she adjudged the Eket facility as the worst with a capacity of 123 but currently having 300 inmates.
“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 for the inmates there.
“I have suggested that the custodial centre’s authority in Abuja should negotiate with the governor of the state and even the community for a good space to relocate that facility for better management of the inmates,” she said.
She expressed concern that the police and director of public prosecution in the state would keep inmates in custodial centres without trial and some with no case for years.
The chief judge called on the police officers in charge of legal matters and the director of public prosecution to ensure diligence in prosecution to avoid the destruction of the justice delivery system.
She issued a warning to the police against making arbitrary arrests and holding innocent people in detention facilities without conducting a full investigation or filing charges against them.
According to her, the affected person’s constitutional rights were violated by such an arrest or incarceration.
