The Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi in exercise of his judicial powers has granted bail to forty one and discharged three awaiting trial inmates during the goal delivery exercise conducted in all the prisons in the state recently.
This came as a response to the several appeals to him to assist in decongesting the prisons by the Controller of Prisons Anambra State, Barr. Nwakeze Emmanuel.
The goal delivery witnessed the release of awaiting trial inmates who due to lack of diligent prosecution has been in custody for years. Some have even stayed beyond what could have been their maximum sentence,have they been convicted of the charge against them. Others who benefited from the exercise includes the juvenile, sick, aged, females and the mentally unstable.
One of the mentally unstable inmates in Aguata prison, who was among those released on bail Mr. Tobias Mbaekwe (55) appealed to the CJ to protect him from over thirty one (31) of his kinsmen, who he said are his enemies plotting to kill him and take over his father’s landed property. The Chief Judge after pronouncing his bail ordered the Assistant Controller of Prisons incharge Aguata Prison and the DPO Aguata Police Division to take him and hand him over to the DPO Ozubulu (his home town), who he also ordered to take him to his father’s house and to warn his kinsmen not to attack him as any one of his kinsmen who violates the order will face the law squarely.
Tobias who was visibly happy, expressed same by thanking the Chief Judge immensely for his magnanimity in releasing him as well as ordering for his protection. He also thanked the Controller of Prisons(who was present at the session),the Assistant Controller of Prisons and other prison staff for keeping him in humane custody while it lasted.
The exercise which lasted for four days saw the release on bail of 16 inmates and another 3 discharged from Onitsha, 7 from Awka,9 from Aguata and 9 from Nnewi Prisons.
The Chief Judge concluding the exercise on the last day at Awka Prison thanked the prison authority for their assistance in making the exercise hitch free.
In his response, the Controller of Prisons Barr. Nwakeze appreciated the Chief Judge for a promise fulfilled and prayed him to make it a more regular exercise with a view to get more of the inmated who deserves freedom to get same. He admonished the freed inmates to be good citizens and desist from crime and occasions of crime in future.
