by Peregba Jerry
The Rivers state Judiciary has granted pardon to over one hundred and fifty inmates from the Port Harcourt Maximum correctional services as part of decongesting the prison.
The pardon was inline with the recommendation of the state chief Judge, Justice Simeon Amadi to relocate three Chief Magistrates to the correctional centre to released inmates with minor offences.
The exercise which took three days, saw the three Chief Magistrates, Chief Magistrate, Menenen Poromon, Chief Magistrate Victor Nweke and Chief Magistrate Rosemary Ibanibo, released the inmates in batches of 46, 62 and 42 on Friday 2nd, Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th September 2021, which includes 2 females.
Speaking to the released inmates, Chief Magistrate Menenen Poromon said they are released based on merit due to minor offences that have resulted to over crowding.
He advised those released to stay away from crime, adding that the releases inmate should locate their origin and settle down properly.
Some of the released inmates who spoke to correspondent thanked the chief Judge of the state and promised not to go back to crime.
Recall that the chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi on 19 of August 2021 pardon 10 inmates and promised to release more during and after the high court vacation.
The chief judge is expected to after the resumption of the high court from annual vacation embarked on another round of goal delivery exercise assuming that many inmates would benefit from the exercise.
On their part some stakeholders in the Administration of Criminal Justice, Legal Community, Human Right Groups also hailed the chief judge for his innovation initiative of assigning Magistrates to hold the special session.
