The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade today freed 153 inmates of the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Prisons in line with the provisions of Section 1(1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act CAP C40, 2007, Law of the Federation of Nigeria.
Three of the released inmates have been standing trial for about 16 years, 24 of the inmates were released from the maximum prison, 129 inmates from the medium prison and of the 129 inmates, 79 were standing trial for capital offences while 50 were for minor offences.
She urged the beneficiaries of the amnesty exercise to reciprocate the gesture by ensuring that they do not go back to committing crimes “go and sin no more,” she said.
The Chief Judge also enjoined all relevant stakeholders in the justice sector to embrace the prison decongestion effort because the exercise is in furtherance of the commitment of the judiciary to decongest the prison populated by a high number of awaiting trial inmates.
The Deputy Comptroller in charge of Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Seye Oduntan appreciated the Chief Judge for the amnesty gesture and pleaded with her to ensure that the programme is a continuous one, as more inmates who qualify for the exercise are still in the prison.
Kirikiri Maximum Prison currently holds 1235 inmates, 772 of the inmates are awaiting trial, 83 are serving life sentence, 209 inmates have been convicted while 171 are condemned prisoners.
The Medium Prison has a 1700 cell capacity, 2873 inmates are currently