Paul Osuyi, Asaba
AN inmate suspected to be a cancer patient, one Emmanuel Chukwudi, 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, whose half face has been affected with the cancerous growth, said he had been in Kwale prison since 2016, on the allegation of breaking/entering and stealing.
Moved with pity, Justice Umukoro queried the rationale behind the continued detention of a suspect who cannot stand trial due to ill health, stressing that such cases constitute unnecessary financial burden to the state.
He said the released 48 inmates were among the 561 whose remand warrants were 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 visit is to reiterate government’s desire to ensure persons awaiting trials do not spend their whole lives here. We must ensure those here are remanded by court of competent jurisdiction, having allegedly committed an offence known to law.
“We shall also look at 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 find such a person here, we shall release him/her or make an appropriate order for such an individual to be remanded in the Remand Home, Sapele,” he said.