TRACKING___At least 81 inmates at Sapele Custodian Centre in Delta State have regained their freedom sequel to the visit of the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Marshal Umukoro to the centre as part of the move to decongest Custodian Centres in the state.
Welcoming the chief judge, Deputy Controller of Sapele Custodian centre, Nwanze Eugene Amechi, said Sapele Custodian Centre has a capacity of 293 inmates of which 220 of them are awaiting trial.
This number, he said, was made up 83.7% of the inmate population while over 50% of the same awaiting trials population are holden charges, who have stayed longer than necessary before trials or without trial.
Nwanze expressed joy that the release of this number of inmates was taking place under his watch having resumed duty at the custodial centre on June 5, 2020.
The Controller, Delta state Correctional Centre, Mr F.E. Ovie, while speaking with newsmen advised the released inmates not to do anything that would bring them back to the correctional centre.
He told them to rather engage in things that would better the society, adding that it was the first time the centre was having a huge number of inmates benefiting from such gesture.
