COVID-19: EKITI RELEASES 30 INMATES
Ekiti State Government, on Wednessday 22nd April, has ordered the release of 30 inmates from the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre as part of efforts to curtail the spread coronavirus.
The decision is evident to the protest that arose at the Kaduna prison. Earlier, prisoners in the facility protested against congestion of cells, which could lead to the spread of Coronavirus.
The State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, announced the governor’s order in Ado-Ekiti.
According to Fapohunda, the governor also declared the released prisoners as vulnerable persons, who are entitled to receive COVID-19 palliatives from the state government.
“The governor, out of kindness, directed that the released individuals should immediately be listed as vulnerable persons on the database of beneficiaries of the Ekiti State COVID-19 palliative programme.
“By this, life will not be miserable to them in freedom,’’ the commissioner said.
Fapohunda said that the exercise will be a continuous one until the population of inmates is reduced to manageable numbers.
He said that the beneficiaries were subjected to strict screening before their eventual release.
“The Ekiti State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, on the instruction of the governor, met on last week to consider applications for clemency from 45 prisoners in the Ado-Ekiti Correctional Centre.
“The council considered these applications on merit, and recommended 30 inmates for release.
“The four categories of prisoners considered are; persons held in pre-trial detention, particularly those for minor or low-risk offenses and women with children on pre-trial detention or convicted for non-serious offenses with less than 18 months to serve their sentences.
“Others are those referred to as “at-risk inmates” such as elderly prisoners or those with underlying life-threatening health issues as well as inmates convicted for minor, low risk of offenses, particularly those who have 18 months or less remaining of their sentence to serve’’.
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