At least fourteen prison inmates were released in Bauchi State on Friday on the basis of improper records of their trials, Naija News reports.
Speaking after delivering her verdict, Bauchi State Chief Judge, Justice Rabi Talatu Umar, said it was disturbing that some inmates at the Bauchi Custodial Centre lack proper records of their trials.
She attributed the release of the convicts to God’s intervention in their cases, recalling that some of the awaiting trial inmates have not been presented to the courts for years.
The Judge lamented the situation that makes their records go out of hands. TrackNews understands that Justice Umar was undertaking routine periodic visits to correctional centres across the state to review the cases of awaiting trial inmates, especially those that have stayed long in those centres without trial.
The Chief Judge during the routine tour, visited the Tafawa Balewa, Darazo, Misau, Azare, Bogoro, Ningi, Jama’are and Bauchi where she released five (5) inmates at Tafawa Balewa, two (2) each at Misau and Azare, while 14 regained freedom from the Bauchi centre.
None of the inmates at Jamare, Ningi, Darazo and Bogoro were able to regain freedom during the visit, TrackNews understands.
The Chief Judge, while commenting on some of the awaiting trial inmates whose litigation records were completely out of sight, remarked, “We don’t know who brought them here”.
He, however, admonished the luckily released inmates to find legitimate means of livelihood as they rejoin their communities.
