Ogun Chief Judge Grants Amnesty To Three Convicts
The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has granted amnesty to three inmates currently in prison custody.
The three convicts are Joseph Apan, Nureni Oladosu, and Babatunde Fagbayi.
the inmates were released during Justice Dipeolu’s recent visit to the Ilaro Correctional Centre in Ilaro, Yewa South local government area.
The Chief Judge said the decision was part of the move to reduce overcrowding in correctional facilities throughout the state.
Accompanied by fellow judges, the director of public prosecution, as well as management and officials, including the controller and assistant controller, and correctional centre staff during the visit, Justice Dipeolu expressed concern over the challenging conditions in correctional facilities, stressing that the state cannot afford to risk losing inmates due to overcrowding.
“The conditions here at the correctional centre have not improved; it is evident that overcrowding is rampant, even without official statistics; this overcrowding particularly concerns those awaiting trial, as they suffer without having been found guilty,” she said.
Nevertheless, she assured that she would take prompt measures to tackle the issue of overcrowding, stressing the need to address the underlying cause of congestion despite the courts’ efforts to expedite cases.
Justice Dipeolu specifically highlighted the plight of certain prisoners who had been awaiting trial since 2018, deeming this situation as unacceptable.
Expressing his gratitude, the Controller of the Correctional Centre, Saliu Adepoju, commended the chief judge and her team for their visit and praised her commitment to upholding the principles of the judiciary.
