Lagos CJ grants amnesty to eleven prison inmates

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade has granted amnesty to 11 inmates of the Badagry Prisons.

The freed prisoners were among the 174 inmates whose names were sent to the Lagos State Prisons Decongestion Committee headed by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye for a review of their cases.
Exercising her constitutional powers to grant amnesty to deserving prisoners, Justice Atilade released the 11 inmates from incarceration and urged them not to indulge in any criminal activities in the outside world.

"Having been informed by the prison officials of the offences for which you have been in prison for a period longer than three months, and in pursuance of the provisions of Sections 1(1) of the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody) Act, 2007 as well as Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, you are all hereby released from custody today, November 3, 2016. This is without prejudice to any charge that may be preferred against you at a later date; I, therefore, enjoin you to turn a new leaf and go and sin no more."

The CJ also noted that it was her first visit to the Badagry Prisons since her appointment as Lagos Chief Judge, emphasizing that one of her goals is to ensure a reduction in the number of awaiting trial inmates across the State.

She, however, thanked various stakeholders like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP), Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Prisons Decongestion Committee and numerous Non-Governmental Organizations that have worked tirelessly to ensure the freedom of the inmates.

Earlier in his welcome address, Deputy Comptroller of Badagry Prisons Mr. Oye Famuwagun applauded the CJ for her kind gesture but appealed to her for assistance to procure additional vehicles to convey inmates to eight court locations across the State.

This post first appeared on Linda Ikeji's Blog. Read the original story here.