AIbom Chief Judge Pardons 12 Inmates Awaiting Trial
Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Justice Ekaette Obot, has pardoned 12 inmates from the Ikot Abasi and Eket Correctional Centres who have been awaiting trial for several years.
On Thursday, Obot granted the pardon after touring the facilities and attending to the inmates case files in Ikot Abasi and Eket Local Government Areas.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, three released inmates are from the Ikot Abasi correctional centre, while nine are from the Eket correctional centre.
During his visit, the chief judge also donated drugs and toiletries worth thousands of naira to the two correctional facilities for the benefit of the inmates.
NAN reports that there was a pathetic case in Ikot Abasi correctional centre where a young man, John Akpan, was accused of stealing a bunch of plantain from his uncles plantation and has been in custody for over 12 months without trial.
Another case was that of one Goodnews Isaiah, who was charged with assault and had been in custody for over 12 months without trial.
The chief judge also pardoned an 80 year-old-man, Ime Udoh, in Eket correctional centre who could barely walk, and his son James Ime, who were charged with disobeying a court order.
Obot said that some freed inmates had spent more years in prison than the penalty for the offences they were charged with.
NAN
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