NAN-DS-7
Inmates
Sunday Bassey
Uyo, March 21, 2017 (NAN) No fewer than 1,601 out of the 1,955 inmates of prisons in Akwa Ibom are awaiting trial for various offences, Mrs Pamela Nyong, the Akwa Ibom Controller of Prisons, has said.
Nyong gave the figure in an interactive session with newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday.
She said the awaiting trial inmates were 81.9 per cent of the total population of 1,955 inmates in four prisons in the state.
“The issue of awaiting trial cases has become a nagging one that is causing consistent problem for the prison authorities,’’she said.
The controller said there was an urgent need to address the problem of prisons congestion in the state, saying that “Justice delayed is justice denied’’.
Nyong attributed the long stay of inmates in prison custody to the nature of the criminal justice system in the country.
She said out of the four prisons in Akwa Ibom, Uyo prison had the highest number of 867 inmates followed by Ikot Ekpene prison with 677 inmates, while Eket prison has 328 and Ikot Abasi prison had the lowest with 81 inmates.
She explained that out of the total population of 1,955 inmates, 354 inmates had been convicted.
Nyong decried the situation at Uyo prison which had a capacity for 613 inmates but now had 867 inmates, while Ikot Ekpene with capacity of 400 inmates now had 679 inmates.
She added that Eket prison which had capacity of 123 inmates, now housed 328 inmates.
The controller, however, expressed happiness that Ikot Ekpene prison had installed capacity of 230 but had 81 inmates.
She called on the judiciary and the police to expedite action to reduce prison congestion in the state.
Nyong thanked the state government for its contribution to the welfare of the inmates. (NAN)
SDB/JIE/AMY
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Edited by Julius Enehikhuere/Abdullahi Yusuf