Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips on Wednesday freed 119 awaiting-trial inmates from the Maximum and Medium Security Prisons, Kirikiri, Lagos. Among those released are two brothers, Dare and Dada Egbebunmi, who had been on the awaiting trial list for about 13 years.
The figure comprises 99 inmates freed by the CJ from the Medium Security Prison, and 20 freed from the Maximum Security Prison.
With the pardon, the chief judge has exercised her powers under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act CAP C40, 2007, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. She said the pardon was part of her promise to consistently seek ways to decongest prisons in the state.
“I release all you today 25th day of September 2013 from custody pursuant to the powers conferred on me and admonish you to go and sin no more,” she told the inmates, advising them to become good examples to the society so as not to find their way back to the prisons.
“We don’t expect to see you here again. It is painful when we release you and we come again and you are here. So, I admonish you to do what is right and don’t put us into shame for releasing you. Go and say bye-bye to prison.”
Prior to her appointment as CJ, she had told the lawmakers at the Lagos State House of Assembly during screening for the position that the prisons were congested and this is why justice is unnecessarily prolonged. She also that is she was made CJ, she would come up with strategies to help with prison decongestion.
Last year, Justice Phillips released a total of 279 inmates from the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Security Prisons and Ikoyi Prisons.
