Justice Oluwafunmilayo of the Federal High Court, Lagos, continued her prison amnesty exercise Thursday, when she set about 31 inmates free from the Ikoyi prisons.
She had earlier on Wednesday granted freedom to a total of 153 inmates from the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium prisons.
Thursday’s released indicated that about 184 of awaiting-trial-inmates regained freedom from the prisons in Lagos.
The Chief Judge, however, advised the freed inmates against the temptation of going back to the crime.
She assured that her administration will keep reviewing cases of inmates who should not be in prison.
She said, “Those of you that have been released today should see this as an opportunity for a new beginning. You must henceforth be of good behaviour and never return to crime.”
Justice Atilade said that situations where cases will stay long in court will no longer be tolerated, stressing that her administration is committed to decongesting the prisons.
She added, “The purpose of carrying out this exercise is to achieve a reduction of the awaiting trial population in the prisons. Situations where cases are allowed to unnecessarily drag on in court will no longer be tolerated.”
.....