June 08, (THEWILL) – The Chief Judge of Benue State, Justice Maurice Ikpambese, has ordered the release of 20 detainees, awaiting trial at the Nigeria Correctional Centres in Gboko and Oturkpo.
Justice Ikpambese, who gave the order when he led other members of the State Criminal Justice Committee, to review 75 cases of people awaiting trial at the centre in Gboko, also granted bail to 12 other detainees.
He directed Judges to give accelerated hearings to those who do not have anyone to take them on bail, directing judges in the state to terminate all direct criminal cases filed before them, which were without fiat obtained from the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order.
According to Justice Ikpambese, the visit aimed at reviewing cases of those awaiting trials, and setting free those held for a long period and unnecessarily decongesting the custodian centre in Gboko.
At the Oturkpo centre, the Chief Judge, who also ordered the release of some inmates, directed the summary trial of six of the inmates, who admitted committing the offences and were summarily convicted by the Magistrate.
He also granted bail to 7 inmates and directed Judges not to remand any defendant before them and bailable cases, as well as terminated all criminal cases filed before the court, which were without files obtainable from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order.
The State Controller of Nigeria Correctional Center, Benue command, Mary Oche, who spoke in Gboko appealed to Federal and State Governments to provide vehicles to convey accused persons to and from courts on adjournment dates.
According to her, the Gboko Correctional Centre consisting of 77 courts in Benue North East has only one functional vehicle in Gboko to do the job.
The Commandant revealed that Oturkpo centre also has only one vehicle and appealed to the state and local Government Council areas in Benue South to come to their aid and thanked the committee for the visits.
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