The National Economic Council (NEC) has decided to decongest prisons by hastening the execution of inmates on death row, and commute some death sentences to life terms.
According to the Abia State governor, Theodore Orji, who spoke on the resolution of the council yesterday, government is also determined to assist the judiciary and police to reduce the number of inmates awaiting trial. These inmates account for 80 % of the prison population.
The governor said he believes that these measures will go a long way in decongesting prisons and reducing incidences of jail breaks.
"There is no basis that somebody who [has] not been committed, at least has not been condemned, [should] be in prison for ten years for an offence committed which the court has not ruled against him," Mr, Orji explained. "So the proper thing is to decongest the prison by looking at these cases and leaving them to go. And that will also on the long run make sure that this upheavals and protest that we have in the prisons are also taken care of and curtailed adequately."
Source: 234Next.com, April 21, 2010
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