Ezugwu seeks decongestion of correctional centres

Ini Billie, Uyo

The Controller, Akwa Ibom State Correctional Service, Mr Julius Ezugwu has called for the decongestion of the centres, saying over 80 per cent of the inmates are awaiting trial.

Ezugwu revealed that all the correctional centres in the state have a total of 2, 851 inmates, of which only 451 were convicts, while 2, 400 were awaiting trial.

Speaking on Wednesday in Uyo during the Law Hub Development and Advocacy Centre workshop on “Assessment of the Implementation of the Akwa Ibom State Administration of Criminal Justice Law”, the Controller urged the justice system to come up with solutions to decongest the facilities. 

He said the large number of inmates awaiting trial was responsible for the overcrowded centres, saying it is a problem as the centres were supposed to be a place to reform convicts and not take care of awaiting trial persons. 

“We have a total of 2,851 inmates in the core facility of the command, that is Uyo, Ikot Ekpene, Eket and Ikot Abasi respectively. Out of that number, we have about 451 convicts, the rest are awaiting trial persons.

“They are products of the criminal justice administration and I want to say that the correctional service has been doing its own part creditable. We have more than is provided for by the Administration of Criminal Justice System in Akwa Ibom.

“Every quarter, we ensure that we send our returns of awaiting trial persons to the office of the Attorney General of the State and the Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State. With this workshop, all the members of the AJAs will be well informed on how to go about the challenges of overcrowding in our facilities and also make justice accessible to all the teeming inmates.

“I enjoin you to look deep and help us ensure we will be able to deliver on our mandate of humane containment of this unit because when we have more than 80 per cent of inmates awaiting trial, it becomes a problem.

“The correctional service is for the reform of convicts and not awaiting trial persons. The situation where we have a predominance of awaiting trial persons would be a challenge to all the agencies in the criminal justice system. I don’t see the awaiting trial persons as our property,” he stated.

In declaring the workshop open, Chief Judge of Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Justice Ekaette Obot said the domestication of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act by the Criminal Justice Law of Akwa Ibom State would have a great impact on the criminal justice in the state.

Obot who was represented by Hon. Justice Edem Akpan said for the functionality of the law, she has issued a practice direction for the relevant usage and operations of the law by all the stakeholders in the legal community.

She, however, stated that the inability to enforce some sections of the law makes it impossible to enjoy the benefits of the law as was intended, as such, she plans to inaugurate the administration of criminal justice monitoring committee.

“In acknowledgement of the fact of the inoperative sections of the criminal administration justice law, I have put every arrangement in place to inaugurate the administration of criminal justice monitoring committee on the 17th October 2023, so as to carry out the statutory role as specified in the law.

“It is for the reason for the inoperative sections of the law that has made this workshop very timely, to enhance the effective application of all the sections of the law by the practitioners.

“I believe this workshop would diligently assess how far Akwa Ibom State has fared in implementing and also enhance the implementation of that law. I also believe the workshop would proffer solutions for better enhancement and effective implementation of overriding benefits of all sectors, and all the stakeholders,” she stated.