From Tony Osauzo, Benin
Edo State Chairman, Subcommittee on decongestion of Correctional Centres, Justice Efe Ikpomwonba, yesterday announced that 114 inmates in Oko and Benin Correctional Centres were given amnesty release between April and June this year.
The Judge who disclosed this in a statement a statement in Benin, explained that the action was in a bid to decongest the prisons.
“On April 22, the Oko Correctional facility had a total of 55 inmates with bailable offences and that at the end of April, 21 of them were released.
“Also in May 22, the facility had 64 inmates with bailable offences and at the end of May, 28 inmates were released while in June 2022, the facility had a number of 91inmates with bailable offences as at 17, June, 15 of them have been released”, Justice Ikponmwoba added.
She said similar decongestion exercise was carried out at the Benin Correctional Centre.
“In April, the the Benin facility had 66 inmates with bailable offences and 25 of them were released. In May, the facility had 82 inmates with bailable offences and 20 of them were released.
“Also in June, the facility was100 inmates with bailable offences and that as at on the June 17, five of them were released”, she said.
In summary, Jistice Ikpomwonba said 64 of the inmates were released from the Oko Correctional Centre while 50 others were released from the Benin Correctional Centre bringing the total inmates that were released to 114 within the month of April to June, 2022.