26 Ikoyi prison inmates regain freedom

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, on Thursday released 26 awaiting trial inmates from Ikoyi Prison.

This brought to 47 the number of awaiting trials granted freedom by the chief judge.

She released 21 inmates from the Medium Security Prisons, Kirikiri, on Wednesday.

Justice Atilade explained that the freed inmates had been in prison awaiting trial for over two months and above.

The exercise was part of the ongoing efforts to decongest the prisons in the state.

The Chief Judge was accompanied on the trip by senior members of the judiciary, including Justices of the High Court of Lagos State, Oluwatoyin Ipaye, Aishat Opesanwo, Kudirat Jose, Lateef Lawal-Akapo, Sedoten Ogunsanya, Chief Registrar Emmanuel Ogundare and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Idowu Alakija.

Also on her entourage to Ikoyi were members of the Nigerian Bar Association executive committee in Ikeja, Lagos, Ikorodu and Badagry.

At Thursday’s ceremony, 16 inmates were physically present, while 10 others had earlier left the prison walls with the approval of the chief judge.

They were all released in exercise of the powers conferred on the chief judge by Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007 and provisions of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Releasing the inmates, Justice Atilade counseled them to be of good behaviour henceforth.

“I release all you today 18th day of June, 2015 from custody pursuant to the powers conferred on me and admonish you to go and sin no more,” she said.

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