The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, has ordered the release of 29 inmates serving at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre. This is sequel to a pardon granted these inmates, Africa Update has learnt.
Africa Update reports that this special release was designed as Christmas gift to the inmates by the Chief Judge of the State.A statement from the state High Court, signed by the Chief Registrar of the High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi, said the special jail delivery exercise was in fulfillment of the state chief judge’s earlier promise during the last exercise in November.
The statement disclosed that Justice Amadi directed three Chief Magistrates from the State Judiciary to carry out the exercise, adding that the exercise was part of a sustained effort by the state Judiciary to further decongest the correctional centres across the state.
The statement further said that the affected 29 inmates were held for minor offences, and also included those who had stayed longer than their sentence year, if they were convicted.The statement, however, said that the inmates were advised to cherish their release as a Christmas gift from the state chief judge, and be of good behaviour.
