Four inmates of Warri Custodial Centre, popularly called Okere Prison, were on Thursday freed by the Chief Judge of Delta State, Hon. Justice Tessy Diai.
The chief judge, who was on jail delivery exercise to the prison, chided prosecutors over irregular production of defendants to court thus lingering judicial process and contributing adversely to unexpected large number of awaiting trial suspects dumped in the prisons.
The chief judge noted with concern that most of the problem experienced was that inmates were not being presented to the court for trial which has resulted in large numbers awaiting trial in the Warri Custodial Centre.
It was jubilation galore in the custodial centre as the four lucky inmates were released by the visiting chief judge.
The lucky inmates, Tejiri Akpoyibo (25) charged for attempted murder; Anigoro Uduefe, Stanley Akporode and Kupa Tuphe charged for unlawful secret society stated that they were innocent.
Ordering their release, Diai stated that trying Akpoyibo who appeared mentally unstable was counter productive, disclosing that the three others were freed on the advice of Director of Public Prosecutions to the effect that the trio had no case to answer.
Narrating his ordeal, Uduefe who could not contain his joy, disclosed that he was a member of the Sapele vigilante group and was going to see his wife at Udu which was engulfed in crisis, when the anti kidnap group at Udu saw him, arrested and slammed him with unlawful society charge.
He insisted that he was innocent and happy because the day was his son’s first birthday even as he thanked God for unveiling the truth.
Justice Diai commended the “wonderful performance” of the Director of Public Prosecutions and her team, the chief registrar, judges and chairmen of branches of the Nigerian Bar Association in Delta State present.
The chief judge who reviewed 639 warrants expressed dismay over the irregularity of prison officers in producing inmates to courts in Ughelli area, stressing that taking inmates once a week from a centre of over 300 inmates, was unacceptable.
She then advised the prison authority to put up a proposal in order to address the abnormality.
Diai declared, “I am really distressed about the number of people going to Ughelli, distressed not just because of the number, but I just learnt that inmates are taken to that place once a week.
“I am not happy, I am not impressed. Something must have to be done; so the number of times inmates are taken to those courts must increase.”
