Edo State frees 114 inmates in three months

The Edo State Chairman, Subcommittee on Decongestion of Correctional Centres, Justice Efe Ikpomwonba, has said that 114 inmates in Oko Correctional Centre and Benin Correctional Centre were released on amnesty between April and June 2022.

Ikpomwonba, who made this known in a statement in Benin on Tuesday said the move was done in a bid to decongest the prison.

She said, “On April 22, the Oko correctional facility had a total of 55 inmates with bailable offences and that at the end of April  2022, 21 of them were released.

“Also in May 22, the facility had 64 inmates with bailable offences and at the end of May 2022, 28 inmates were released while in June 2022, the facility had a number of 91 inmates with bailable offences, 15 of them were released in June.”

Justice Ikpomwonba added that the Benin Correctional Centre was not also left out in the decongestion exercise.

She added, “In April, the the Benin facility had 66 inmates with bailable offences and 25 of them were released. In May, the facility had 82 inmates with bailable offences and 20 of them were released.

“Also in June, the facility had 100 inmates with bailable offences and as of June 17, five of them were released.

While giving the summary, Ikpomwonba said 64 of the inmates were released from the Oko Correctional Centre while 50 others were released from the Benin Correctional Centre making all the inmates that were released to be 114 within the month of April to June 2022.