Go and Sin No More

The Ekiti State Chief Judge, Ayodeji Daramola, has ordered the unconditional release of 24 awaiting trial inmates, including four women from the Ado Ekiti Prisons.

Daramola, who also granted bail to three other inmates during a routine visit to the Ado Ekiti prisons, explained that he exercised the prerogative of mercy following diligent investigation as well as advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and the Nigerian Police.

According to him, some of the inmates were also released due to lack of diligent prosecution and want of evidence.

The CJ commended the office of the DPP and the police for their efficiency, noting that the case files of detainees were properly updated, which, he said, assisted in decongesting the prisons and ensuring justice without undue delay.

He also lauded the efforts of the officials of the prisons for the general sanitation of the prisons, which he described as satisfactory.

Reiterating his commitment to the dispensation of justice as well as ensuring that criminals are not unduly released back into the society, Daramola said he would continue to give the inmates hope and minimise frustration that may create tension in the prisons.

He, however, stressed the need to inject more funds into the judiciary to boost efficiency, lamenting that paucity of funds remained a major challenge to the Ekiti State Judiciary in performing its functions.

In his remarks, the Comptroller of the Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Prison Service, Kehinde Fadipe, lauded the Chief Judge for his painstaking effort at reviewing the cases of the inmates and also ensuring that justice was not delayed.

Fadipe reiterated his commitment to the general wellbeing of inmates as well as the security of their lives.

Some of the freed inmates expressed gratitude to God and showered encomiums on the state judiciary for effecting their release.