Oyo Chief Justice frees another 38 Inmates from Prison

Oyo State’s Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola is said to have freed at least 38 inmates awaiting trial, on Wednesday at Abolongo prisons in Oyo town.

Justice Munta Abimbola who heads the committee on Administration of Criminal Justice law
had on Tuesday also freed 51 inmates after his visit to Agodi Prisons in Ibadan.

According to reports, most of the inmates released in Oyo were released on health ground while some others had spent about 4 and 7 years without trial.

The committee members were in the prison to consider and release those unlawfully arrested and detained, Abimbola said. He also disclosed that the constitution empowered the chief judge to release inmates detained unjustly.

Abimbola had also clarified that some of the inmates were released on the passionate ground and advised them to turn a new leaf in order to be useful to their family and Nigeria in general.

The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) and security agents have been urged by the Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola to have the fear of God in discharging their duty and stop detaining suspects for years without trial.

Abimbola promised that the state judiciary would be repositioned under his watch.

The Controller of prisons, Oyo State Command, Akinrujomu Tosin, who revealed that the capacity of the prison was 160 but currently housed 456 inmates with 364 awaiting trial and 92 convicted also said that most of the inmates in Abolongo Prisons were sick and have been in prison for a very long time without trial. He also urged the committee to be compassionate in releasing the inmates.