In an attempt to decongest the facilities and avert the prisoners from contacting the Coronavirus, the Chief Judge (CJ) of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, has ordered the immediate release of 249 prisoners from five correctional centres across the state.
Dipeolu, who gave the directive during her visit to the various centres in the state, said that the release of the inmates was based on the Federal Government’s decision to decongest correctional centres to contain the spread of COVID-19, noting that those released were men and women with cases ranging from stealing, burglary, assault to bodily harm and other minor cases.
She noted that the decongestion would improve social distancing measures, thereby reducing the spread of the virus at the correctional centres, urging the released inmates to go back to the society and be useful for the entire nation and refrain from sinful acts.
The CJ said the release was imperative to prevent the inmates from contacting COVID-19 virus, noting that those being considered were those having little years to complete their jail terms, old ages, those that have not met up with fines, those that have spent 50 per cent of their jail terms and those on medical-related matters.