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…Gov’s wife releases 16-year-old boy, 40 others
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The 31 female inmates in the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State are all facing capital offences of murder.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odo yesterday, disclosed to reporters at the custodial centre when wife of the state governor,Mary-Maudlin Uzoamaka Nwifuru paid fines of 41 male inmates of the centre convicted with option fines to secure their freedom.
A 16 years old boy, Ogobuchi Ikebe, who was convicted for stealing Bluetooth, was among those released by Mrs. Nwifuru.
The Abakaliki Correctional Service Custodial Centre has a total of 1,265 inmates our of which 31 of them are females.
Odo said none of the 31 female inmates were among the released inmates by wife of the governor because they were facing capital offences.
He noted that if they are convicted, they would be transferred to Enugu maximum prison where those on death sentence are kept, awaiting execution.
“We have here in the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre, Abakaliki 1, 265 inmates. Our of that 1,265 inmates, 31 are female inmates.and all the female inmates have offence attached to them.
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“They are charged of capital offences, murder and the matter is still ongoing in court, they have not been sentenced. This is why all the people that their fines have been paid are all male.
“The 31 female inmates that are here still have ongoing matter in court and because they still have ongoing in court , we can’t pay for fine of people that have not been sentenced by the court.
“The 31 of them are facing capital offences, the 31 of them are murder. If they are convicted, the implication is that they will not be here. Anybody who is convicted of murder of capital offence, will be sent to Enugu maximum prison where people that are facing death sentence are kept”.
One of the freed male inmates, Nwafor Emmanuel, 26, said he has been in the prison since August last year and commended Mrs. Nwifuru for freeing him.
He disclosed that he witnessed the death of five persons in the prison and vowed not to go back to the offence that took him to the prison.
“The condition of inmates in the prison is very pathetic. I witnessed not less than five deaths in the prison and I will not do anything that will take me back to the prison.
“I want to thank wife of our dear governor for securing my release. I was convicted for stealing electricity generating set”, he said.
Addressing the freed inmates, Mrs. Nwifuru urged them to shun crime to avoid going back to the prison.
She assured that she would continue to fight for the less privileged in the society.
