The Chief Judge of Delta State, Hon. Justice Tessy Diai has freed four inmates of the Kwale Correctional Centre during the beginning of the State Judiciary’s second quarter jail visits.
Nigeriacrime.com learned that the lucky inmates are Festus Okpro aged 35, Friday Michael aged 32, Precious Obinna aged 20 and Okeghi John aged 60 were charged with offences ranging from being members of an unlawful society, robbery, attempted murder, murder and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Diai, revealed her decision on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), stressing that they have no case to answer.
The Chief Judge also granted bail to Okumo Emmanuel, Ujerekre Omokoro, Ebi Daniel and Onitsha Cornelius who were charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
Diai stated that the prosecuting counsel A. O. Suoware said that the only charge against the defendants was illegal possession of firearms and that the witness who ought to testify in respect of other charges had declined and refused to come to court.
The Chief Judge pointed out that based on the submission of the counsel, the Director of the Public Defender in the Ministry of Justice Uyi Edomwonyi, Esq. applied for the bail of the four inmates under section 243 (1) ACJL 2022 on the ground that they had been in custody since 2019 without trial.
The Chief Judge, therefore, granted the bail application in the sum of N500,000 each with surety in like sum, adding that the surety I must be resident within the jurisdiction.
Narrating her ordeal after her discharge, 20-year-old Precious Obinna, who hails from Imo State, said that she just visited her boyfriend at Abbi in Ndokwa West Local Government Area when Police raided the area and arrested her and the boyfriend for the alleged murder of a young man whose corpse was found close to the house.
While shedding tears of joy, Obinna maintained her innocence of the charge, saying she has learned her lesson from the ordeal.
Obinna thanked God, the Chief Judge and the DPP for proper scrutiny of the case file and found out that she was innocent of the alleged crime.
The Chief Judge expressed satisfaction with the performances of Judges, magistrates, DPP, the Police, the Chief Registrar and Hon. Justice F. O. Enenmo in charge of Kwale zone, for ensuring speedy dispensation of justice in his court, promising to introduce an award for deserving Judges.
Diai stated this after reviewing about 293 warrants of inmates at the custodial centre.