181 prisoners regain freedom in Rivers
One hundred and eighty-one prisoners across the three correctional facilities in Rivers State have been pardoned by Justice Simeon Amadi, the Chief Judge of the state.
The CJ made this revelation at a 2-day exercise which took place at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional facility on Friday.
He revealed that the exercise was to “decongest” the correctional facilities in the state.
The CJ who was stood in for by Meneme Friday Poronon, the Deputy Chief Registrar, Litigation, declared that the exercise was a preliminary exercise to “the 2022/2023 state legal year ceremony”.
He narrated that the prisoners who were pardoned were also “discharged and acquainted” from their various offences.
Chief Magistrate Poronon further appealed to the freed inmates to change their attitudes and behavior and be responsible, adding that the decision was to “reform the judiciary and the administration of criminal justice”.
The inmates who were set free were those under trial for minor cases and those waiting to be tried.
