DELTA STATE CHIEF JUDGE ROUNDS OFF PRISION VISIT; DISCHARGES 31 INMATES. | AGBARAGU TIMOTHY

Delta State Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Tessy Diai rounded off the tour of Custodial Centres across the state yesterday as she discharged 10 inmates at Ogwashi-Uku Centre, after reviewing 541 warrants.

At the conclusion of her tour of the five Custodial Centres in the State, Justice Diai stated that a total number of 31 inmates were discharged out of the 1966 warrants reviewed.

Giving the breakdown, she disclosed that in Warri 639 warrants were reviewed and four were discharged; in Sapele, 242 were reviewed and four were released; 304 warrants were reviewed in Kwale, five regained freedom; while in Agbor Custodial Centre 240 warrants were reviewed and eight were discharged.

Among the 10 inmates discharged on the legal advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), at the Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre was a 35 years old Mr. George Mubebeu arraigned at Magistrate Court Ezi, for murder.

Narrating the circumstances that brought him to custody, Mr. Mubebeu said that cattle had been destroying his crops and he had complained about his bitter experience to the Alhaji who owned the cows. He continued that each time he reported the matter, the Alhaji took no action.

He said that on one fateful day he went to the farm only to discover to his shock that one cow had died on his farm. And to his consternation, the Alhaji used the Police to arrest him on the allegation that he was responsible for its death

More shocking, according to him, the Police framed trumped charge of murder against him and dumped him in prison where he had been incarcerated.

The Chief Judge who commanded the team of Director of Public Prosecutions, the Chief Registrar and magistrates for their efficient performance during the exercise, directed court registrars to go ahead and file matters in court even where nominal witnesses refused to depose to the affidavit.

The Deputy Controller of Corrections in charge of Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre, Sunday Enakhe Oyakhire, asserted that their cordial relationship with the courts has resulted in regular production of inmates awaiting trial in courts.

He revealed that the suspension of producing inmates in court by the Centre sometime in April this year following an intelligence report of hoodlums planning an attack on them while conveying inmates to courts has been lifted, stating that they have resumed producing defendants to courts.