In a significant move, the Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, has ordered the immediate release of Saliu Akande, an inmate who has been held at the Auchi Medium Security Correctional Centre for four years on charges of alleged rape.
During a visit to the facility in Auchi on Thursday, Okungbowa made the decision to release Akande due to the absence of his case file and the specific charges against him.
The directive to release the inmate was part of the Chief Judge’s efforts to reduce overcrowding in correctional centers and ensure a more expeditious administration of justice.
Justice Okungbowa emphasized the importance of expediting criminal proceedings and reducing the backlog of cases in the courts, in line with the provisions of Section 470 (2) of the Edo State Administration of Law 2018.
Since assuming office, the Chief Judge has worked diligently with the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee to fulfill the mandate of speedy justice delivery.
In his commitment to upholding the law, Justice Okungbowa reiterated that no individual should remain incarcerated longer than necessary, except as stipulated by legal procedures.