Twenty-four inmates have regained their freedom from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Onitsha, Anambra State, following a jail delivery exercise that revealed they had remained in detention despite their cases having been struck out by the courts.
The exercise, organised by the Anambra State Judiciary, was presided over by the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu, who was represented by the Administrative Judge of the Onitsha Judicial Division, Justice Jude Nweze.
A total of 36 cases were reviewed during the annual exercise, which is aimed at examining the cases of awaiting-trial inmates and addressing prolonged and unnecessary detention.
At the end of the exercise, 24 inmates were discharged and granted unconditional freedom, while three others were granted bail and are expected to be released upon meeting their bail conditions. The remaining nine inmates were ordered to remain in custody as their cases continue before the courts.
Speaking during the exercise, Justice Anyachebelu disclosed that the 24 inmates had remained behind bars because the Nigerian Correctional Service was unaware that the courts handling their cases had already struck them out.
He explained that their continued detention was discovered during a physical visit to the custodial centre, stressing the importance of regular jail delivery exercises in identifying inmates who may have been overlooked in the justice system.
The Chief Judge urged magistrates to regularly monitor criminal cases pending before their courts and ensure that production warrants were properly prepared and signed to facilitate the appearance of defendants in court as required.
He emphasised that effective communication and proper coordination between the judiciary and correctional authorities were essential to preventing individuals from remaining in detention after their cases had been concluded.
Also speaking, the Controller of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Anambra State Command, Ezinne Onuoha, welcomed the exercise, noting that it would help reduce overcrowding at the custodial facility.
She disclosed that the Onitsha custodial centre, originally designed to accommodate 600 inmates, currently houses more than 739, underscoring the pressure on correctional facilities in the state.
For the 24 inmates, the exercise brought an unexpected period of incarceration to an end, as they regained their freedom after remaining behind bars despite having no pending cases against them.
The development has once again highlighted the need for stronger collaboration between the judiciary and correctional authorities to protect the rights of detainees and prevent avoidable detention.
