By Sunmola Olowookere
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Out of 848 inmates  at the Olokuta Medium Prison located in Akure, 662 are awaiting trials.

This was disclosed when the state Chief Judge, Justice Olutoyin Akeredolu paid a visit to the prison during the weekend.

The prison with 272 capacity has 848  inmates. While 172 are already convicted 662 are awaiting trials.

Out of the 172, 122 inmates are on long term imprisonment, 32 on short term while 15 are facing life imprisonment.

During the visit, the Chief Judge described the increasing trend of kidnapping for ransom in Ondo state and other states in the country as worrisome which she said must be stopped in order to forestall total breakdown of law and order.

The Chief Judge pardoned 15 inmates, eleven were released unconditionally while four inmates were also on bail, pending the determination of their trial.

Some of them were released on health grounds as they had acute tuberculosis which could no longer be handled by the prisons’ medical unit, others were released on account of their prolonged stay in the prison without any progress in their trial.

According to the Director of Public Prosecutions in the State Ministry of Justice, Agnes Olowoporoku, most of the cases were stalled at the courts due to loss of their original case files.

While disclosing that the exercise ought to have taken place earlier but was delayed due to logistics, the Chief Judge reiterated that the state judiciary’s determination is to decongest the Olokuta prison.

After granting them freedom and bail respectively, she advised them to change their ways and live a life that is devoid of crime.

While speaking with journalists after the exercise, she stated that those granted pardon were those that have health challenges or had spent a lengthy period in remand without their cases to trial.

She appreciated other judges, magistrates, the medical team and other groups present for the success of the programme.