The Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, on Wednesday, freed no fewer than 38 inmates awaiting trial at Abolongo prisons in Oyo town.
DAILY POST recalls that the committee on Administration of Criminal Justice law headed by the CJ had on Tuesday visited Agodi Prisons in Ibadan and released 51 inmates.
Most of the inmates released in Oyo were released on health ground while some had spent about 4 and 7 years without trial.
Abinmbola said that the committee members were in the prison to consider and release those unlawfully arrested and detained.
He said that the constitution empowered the chief judge to release inmates detained unjustly.
Abimbola said that some of the inmates were released on passionate ground and advised them to turn a new leaf in order to be useful to their family and Nigeria in general.
He urged the security agents and the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) to have the fear of God in discharging their duty and stop detaining suspects for years without trial.
Abimbola promised that the state judiciary would be repositioned under his watch.
The Controller of prisons, Oyo State Command, Akinrujomu Tosin, said that most of the inmates in Abolongo Prisons were sick and have been in prison for a very long time without trial.
Tosin said that the capacity of the prison was 160 but currently housed 456 inmates with 364 awaiting trial and 92 convicted.
He urged the committee to be compassionate in releasing the inmates.
