Rivers State Chief Judge Simeon Amadi, on Thursday, granted pardon to 53 inmates at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre who are standing trial for various offences.

Mr Amadi said the pardon was part of the week-long programmes by the state judiciary to herald the 2023/2024 Legal Year. He stated that the development was also to decongest the maximum correctional centre in Port-Harcourt.

The chief judge said the release of the inmates was in line with the provisions of section 34(1) of the Criminal Justice Law of Rivers and the Special Provision Law of the federation that empowers the chief judge to grant such pardon.

According to him, the judiciary, correctional services, law enforcement agencies, legal organisations, and community leaders must work hand-in-hand for justice to prevail in society.

Mr Amadi said a stakeholders’ meeting was held before the goal delivery exercise to scrutinise the list submitted by the correction centre and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

He said this was to ascertain those who had no questions to answer but were languishing in jail in the correctional centre.

He also called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation to have enough evidence before charging any suspect to court.

The chief judge advised the released inmates to turn a new leaf and be of good behaviour, stressing that they might not be lucky next time if they were caught engaging in any crime and brought back to the correction centre.

Earlier in his remarks, the comptroller of the state’s correctional service, Felix Lawrence, commended the effectiveness of the Criminal Justice Administration System in decongesting Port-Harcourt Maximum Correctional Services.

(NAN)