56
inmates from the Kaduna Central prison, on Wednesday, were released by
the Kaduna State Chief Judge, Tanimu Zailani, as part of efforts to
decongest prisons in the state.
Nigerian prisoners
The Kaduna State Chief Judge, Tanimu Zailani, on Wednesday released
56 inmates from the Kaduna Central prison as part of efforts to
decongest prisons in the state.
The Chief Judge attributed the high number of inmates to the
failure of judges to be fair and just in the discharge of their duties.
He stressed that only justice would prevent the current situation where people were sent to jail for trivial offences.
“Most of the prisoners are in prison for simple theft, but were
branded with armed robbery just to keep them in prison. As Judges, we
are supposed to be professionals and should not be found truncating
justice in whatever guise. We are expected to uphold justice and that is
what we must do.
“For those with offence of court contempt, you can punish the
offenders’ right there in the court. There is no need putting them in
jail,” he said.
Mr. Zailani said those released were first time offenders arrested
for non-capital offences. He said some were unable to meet their bail
conditions, while others’ case records were neither with the Ministry of
Justice nor the Police.
“As such there was no point keeping them in jail. Other
offences were mainly court contempt that the judges could have settled
them in court,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a total of 82 inmates
appeared before the Chief Judge for review of their cases, out of which
26 were turned down because of the criminal nature of their offences.
NAN also reports that the Kaduna central prison, established in
1915 for 547 inmates, currently has a total of 954 prisoners as at March
16.
Out of the figure, 576 are awaiting trial; 241 convicted; 103 condemned to death and 28 on life sentence, among others.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
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