Lagos CJ Frees Two Brothers Awaiting Trial For 13 Years, 117 Inmates

The Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips, Wednesday released 119 awaiting trial inmates from the Maximum and Medium Security Prisons, Kirikiri, Lagos.

While no fewer than 99 inmates secured freedom from the medium security prison, 20 were released from the maximum security prison.
The case of two inmates believed to be brothers – Dare and Dada Egbebunmi, was particularly compelling as they were believed to be on awaiting trial list for over 13 years.
The exercise was aimed at decongesting the prisons and in exercise of the Chief Judge’s powers under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act CAP C40, 2007, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
It would be recalled that Justice Phillips had released 279 inmates from the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Security Prisons and Ikoyi prisons last year.
The Chief Judge, who was accompanied by senior members of the judiciary, including judges and the Chief Registrar, admonished the freed inmates to be of good behaviour.

“I release all you today 25th day of September, 2013 from custody pursuant to the powers conferred on me and admonish you to go and sin no more,” she said.
She asked the freed inmates to go out and begin to do what is right adding, “We don’t expect to see you here again. It is painful when we release you and we come again and you are here.
“So, I admonish you to do what is right and don’t put us into shame for releasing you. Go and say bye-bye to prison,” she said.
-The Nation