The Ogun State Chief Judge, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has granted amnesty to three prison inmates as part of efforts to decongest correctional facilities across the state.
Justice Dipeolu who paid a visit to the Ilaro Correctional Centre in Ilaro, Yewa South local government area of the state on Tuesday, said the exercise would further decongest the facility.
She decried the dire conditions plaguing correctional facilities in the country, saying that the state cannot afford to lose inmates as a result of overcrowding.
“The conditions here at the correctional centre have not improved, It is evident that overcrowding is rampant, even without official statistics, this overcrowding particularly concerns those awaiting trial, as they suffer without having been found guilty”, she said.
She, however, promised to take action against decongestion, noting that while courts work to expedite cases, the root cause of congestion must be addressed.
Justice Dipeolu identified some inmates who had been awaiting trial since 2018, a situation that, according to her, was unacceptable.
Joseph Apan, Nureni Oladosu, and Babatunde Fagbayi were released during her prison visit and jail delivery exercise.
In his remark, the Controller of the Correctional Centre, Saliu Adepoju, appreciated the chief judge and her entourage for the exercise, extolling her adherence to the ethics of the judiciary.