Diary of a Lawyer
70 per cent of inmates in Nigerian prisons awaiting trial – NHRC
70 per cent of inmates in Nigerian prisons awaiting trial – NHRC
Published on October 8, 2015 · No Comments
Nigeria Prisons Inmates
Mrs Morphy Okwa, the commission’s Assistant Director, Investigation and Coordination revealed this while presenting a report at a stakeholders’ validation of the 2014 prison audit report and 2015 election report.
Okwa that though prisons in six states were visited in the last exercise, a compilation of reports from previous visits informed the commission of the current situation.
“It was found that there were 240 prison institutions spread across Nigeria as follows: 138 main prisons, 85 satellites, 14 Farm Centres, and 3 borstal institutions
“That the prisons have 268 vehicles serving various prisons that serve 5022 courts in the 774 Local Government Areas.
“The total prison population in Nigeria is 56,718, comprising – 17,686 convicts (4,000 lifers; 1,612 condemned convicts) and 39,032 Awaiting Trial Persons.
“Meanwhile, the population of the prison personnel is put at 28,065.’’
She also noted that some of the inmates living in the same cells suffered from terminal diseases, mental illness, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
Okwa described the facilities at the prisons as “deplorable and overstretched“, with most of the prisons overloaded.
Speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the presentation, Mr Tony Ojukwu, the commission’s Director of Monitoring, said that the Administration of Criminal Justice law needed to be complied with to address the inadequacies identified.
“The high number of awaiting trial inmates is a clear indication of the failure of the criminal justice administration system because the prisons are meant for convicts, but you find out at the end of the day that more than 70 per cent of the people there are awaiting trial inmates.
“This is because their cases are not going on in court or they are not moving as fast as possible so that as people are coming in they are going out.
“A situation where somebody is supposed to stay two years in prison for instance if convicted, but has stayed five years while awaiting trial.
“What kind of compensation will you give to him if at the end, considering the fact that our constitution says that you are innocent until proven guilty.
“What happens if a man or woman who has been kept in trial for five years is now proven innocent?
“That means he has stayed in detention for five years for nothing or for an offence he did not commit.
“So we think that the criminal justice administration should be improved.’
Maid 17, bathes employer with hot water
A 17-year-old house maid, Esther Abiodun, has been arraigned before a Lagos State magistrates’ court for allegedly pouring hot water on her employer, Alhaja Dupe Iba Agba, while she was asleep.
Abiodun was arrested by the police from the Adeniji Adele division, Lagos Island and arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ court on a two-count charge of felony to wit, unlawful pouring of hot water on her employer’s body occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Police prosecutor, Inspector Philip Osijale, informed the court that the accused committed the offence on 14 September, 2015 at her employer’s residence located at 20/21, Osho Street, Lagos Island a day after she secured the job as a house maid.
Osijale told the court that the accused boiled hot water, monitored her boss and poured it on her body while she was asleep and in the process she sustained serious burns all over her body including chest, right and left hands.
He said the victim was rushed to intensive care unit in a Lagos State hospital where doctors are battling to save her life.
Osijale stated that during investigation, the accused confessed to the crime and said that she intentionally boiled the hot water and poured it on her employer’s body to teach her a lesson for unjustifiable reasons.
He noted that the offences the accused committed were punishable under sections 171 and 243 of the criminal laws of Lagos State, 2011. The accused, who was represented by Bar. Helen Ibeji, however, pleaded guilty to the charge in the open court.
Magistrate Mr. W. Balogun ordered that the accused be remanded at the Lagos State correctional centre, Idiaraba, Mushin, Lagos till 21 September 2015 for facts and sentence.
Man sent to prison for buying stolen phone
iPhone
This followed his arraignment before a Magistrate court sitting in Ejigbo after the seller, Saidu Oseni, implicated him.
The 19-year-old Oseni allegedly stole a Techno handset worth N17,500 and sold it to Ibrahim for N2,000.
The owner of the phone Ibrahim Sumana later discovered that it was Oseni that stole his phone and he went to Ikotun police division and reported the matter.
Oseni was arrested and he allegedly told the police that he sold it to Ibrahim for N2,000.
He took the police to to Ibrahim’s place in Ikotun area where he was arrested and brought to the station.
At the station, Ibrahim also confessed that he bought the phone from Oseni and did not know he stole the phone.
The police told him that he committed a Criminal offence by buying the phone and therefore, he was also liable in the act of conspiracy.
Both Ibrahim and Oseni were charged to court with the alleged offence under the Criminal Code.
Oseni was charged with theft while Ibrahim was also charged with buying a stolen item.
They pleaded not guilty and the presiding Magistrate, Mrs J.O.E. Adeyemi granted them bail in the sum of N50,000 each with one surety in like sum.
They were remanded in prison custody pending when they will perfect their bail condition.
The matter was adjourned till 5 October, 2015.
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