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The Chief Judge of Delta, Justice Theresa Diai, has granted freedom to a 54 year old man, Mr David Urumebo an inmate of the Warri Correctional Centre on compassionate grand due to health challenges and reviewed 480 Warrant in Warri and Sapele Custodial Centres
Urumebo regained his freedom out of a total of 325 cases of awaiting trial inmates reviewed at the Warri Correctional Centre during the first quarter prison visit for 2026
The Chief Judge also discharged and acquitted Cletus Edewor, Nwoba Maduabuchi, Otutu Kelechi, Brunu Brizebe, Ebimobowei Akpoegberibo and Mienbi Abai on the recommendation by the presiding Judge of the High Court Effurun that they have been discharged and acquitted
Justice Diai and her team also visited the Sapele Correctional Centre, where a total of 155 warrants were reviewed and no inmates were released.
The Chief Judge who visited the facilities was accompanied by Judges, Magistrates, the Chief Registrar, Director of Public Prosecutions, Law Officers from the Ministry of Justice, the Nigeria Police and the representative from the Nigerian Bar Association among others.
During the visit, Diai said that the tour was a routine exercise to review cases of inmates awaiting trials, with a view to ensuring that justice was served, and no individuals unjustly held in any of the Custodial Centres in the state beyond the lawful period or without proper charges
”The exercise was not aimed at mass release of inmates but towards ensuring fairness, legality in detention and speedy trial. We don’t want a situation where individuals are detained without charges or held longer than they should,” adding that once a case is in court, the Chief Judge has limited powers except to guide the trial Judges or Magistrates,”she said.
Justice Diai expressed deep satisfaction with the outcome of the exercise, commended the judges handling the cases, the Deputy Controllers of corrections, Warri and Sapele Custodial Centres and the Department of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, as well as every other person involved in the exercise for their efforts in ensuring the success of the visit and their diligence in Prosecution of the matters.
Diai reaffirmed the Judiciary commitment to upholding justice, assuring that the exercise would continue at the Agbor, Kwale and Ogwashi-uku Custodial Centre to end the first quarter prisons visitation in 2026.
She urged the deputy Controllers of the correctional centres and the Judges to take advantage of the Virtue Court Hearing System being installed by the state ministry of justice for speedy trial delivery.
In their welcome speeches, Mr Okemeomia E. Richard, Deputy Controller of Correction in Warri, and Mr Ugo Okpokenibarapagha, Deputy Controller of the Sapele Custodial Centre, expressed their gratitude to the state Judiciary and Ministry of Justice for their ongoing efforts to reduce overcrowding in the facilities.
While acknowledging the collaboration between the Correctional centres, Ministry of Justice, and Judiciary, they also highlighted the challenges faced by the facilities, such as inadequate resources and shortage of manpower.
