Cancer patient, 47 inmates get CJ’s pardon in Delta

AN inmate, Emmanuel Chukwudi, suspected to be infected by cancer, was among 48 persons released by the Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro from Kwale and Ogwashi-Uku prisons during a visit to the correctional facilities.

The 22-year-old elated inmate who has one half of his face affected with a cancerous growth, said he had been in Kwale prison since 2016 on the alleged offense of breaking/entering and stealing, for which he claimed innocent.

Moved with pity, Justice Umukoro queried the rationale behind the continued detention of a suspect who cannot stand trial due to ill health, stating that such cases constitute unnecessary financial burden to the state.

He stated that the released 48 inmates were among the 561 remand warrants reviewed from the two prisons, pointing out that their release was predicated on ill health, unjustified-long detention in prison custody and want of diligent prosecution among others.

“The purpose of the prison visit is to reiterate government desire to ensure that persons awaiting trials do not spend their whole lives here. We must ensure that those here are remanded by court of competent jurisdiction having allegedly committed an offence known to law.

“We shall also look at your health status, because it is the living we shall try. We shall also look at the ages of inmates because we do not want to support or be part of the process where juveniles are brought here. If we found such person here, we shall release such person or make an appropriate order for such an individual to be remanded in the Remand Home, Sapele,” he added.

Justice Umukoro made it clear that the exercise was not meant to throw the prison doors open for persons awaiting trial, especially those who were involved in violent crimes like kidnapping, armed robbery and rape.

He lamented the increasing number of youths between 25 and 30 years old, saying a large percentage of the active work force was being wasted.

Justice Umukoro attributed the dangerous trend to greed, lure of the lucre, laziness and get-rich-quick syndrome, stating that orphanage status should not be an excuse for indulging in criminality.

The chief judge, who disclosed that the current prison tour was the beginning of the 2018 prison visit which was not done due to his bereavement, explained that that of 2019 edition might commence in either October or November.