The Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola, on Tuesday released 26 inmates from Agodi Prison in Ibadan and told them to sin no more.
Abimbola released the inmates during his official visit to Agodi prison in Ibadan.
He said that after a thorough consideration of over 150 cases only 26 of them were found worthy to be released.
The Chief Judge said that his visit to the prison to release some inmates has constitutional backing and was done in accordance with the law.
Abimbola said that a lot of consequences were attached to prison congestion and releasing some inmates was to avoid such consequences from happening.
He said that those released were those found satisfactorily believed to be held in prison custody illegally and as well stayed in custody more than the number of years required by the offence committed.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that among those released was one Idowu Jinadu, a business woman, who was allegedly duped by one Friday, a custom officer.
The mother-of-four and widow said the custom officer duped her and her friends of a total sum of N15 million.
Jinadu said the custom officer from Saki came to her and promised to be selling rice for her knowing well that she was into rice business.
She said: “I introduced the officer to my friends and we have been doing business successfully with the officer in the last four years.
“One day the custom officer came to me that a trailer load of rice was available to be sold and I informed my friends.
“We contributed N15 million of which my own contribution from the money was six million and gave the money to the officer.
“Unfortunately, the officer ran away and duped us and my friends taught I colluded with the officer.
“I was arrested and charged to court and has been in prison custody since February 28.’’
The Controller of Prison, Oyo State Command, Tosin Akinrujomu, said a total of 1,115 inmates are awaiting trial in Agodi prison custody.
Akinrujomu said that 945 males and 15 females are awaiting trial while the remaining 155 inmates are convicts.
The controller said that the Agodi prison was designed to accommodate 300 inmates, adding that the number of inmates presently in the prison was a stress on the facilities.
e said that the visit of the chief judge to release some of the inmates would be a benefit to both the prison and the inmates.
NAN reports that the Chief Judge had in his company Magistrates, High Court Judges, representatives of NBA, Director of Public Prosecution, Justice Development and Peace Commission, Ibadan, among others.
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