A Lagos High Court in Igbosere, on Tuesday, ordered the immediate release of five inmates, who have been awaiting trial for between six and eight at the Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos.
The inmates were Abayomi Adeyemi, remanded since 2006; Saheed Toheeb, remanded since 2005; Joseph Robert, remanded since 2007; Kingsley Ewenye, remanded since 2007; and Gboyega Alatise, remanded since 2005.
It brought to 21 the number of such inmates who had been released by the court within the year upon a suit filed on their behalf by a non-governmental organisation, Prisoners’ Rights Advocacy Initiative.
The suit was filed through the Director of the organisation, Mr. Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem.
Justice Deborah Oluwayemi, on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of the five inmates after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions admitted that no charges had been filed against them since their various dates of remand.
The judge, while ruling on an application filed on their behalf, said the inmates should be released, having not been “charged before any court of competent jurisdiction”.
The inmates were accused of offences among which were armed robbery and murder. They had however been unduly kept in prison due to failure of the authorities to prosecute them.
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Nice as this may seem,there could be a lot more to this, cause stories abound of inmates who have influential relatives or gang members who collude with police officers to remain in awaiting trial, thereby ensuring that they get pardon based on that, only for them to continue in thier evil ways.
ReplyDeleteI would like to think that acussed person who are being held for minor offences can be looked at, in the light of pardon and not hard core criminals who have committed offences such as armed robbery, murder and rape.
A word they say is enough for the wise.