Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi state on Friday granted an executive pardon to 153 inmates selected from different correctional centres across the State who had been incarcerated for various infractions reiterating the commitment of his administration towards ensuring speedy dispensation of criminal justice.
Addressing the pardoned inmates at an occasion held at Government House, Bauchi, the governor said the decision to pardon the inmates was informed by a careful review of their records by the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy who confirmed their determination to become good citizens that would be useful to themselves and the society.
According to the governor, part of the criteria adopted by the Committee in coming up with the list of pardoned convicts include old age, terminal sickness, convicts having less than three months to complete their jail term and those who were to pay their victims compensation of less than thirty thousand naira.
He said granting the pardon to the inmates was part of his administration's resolve and determination to ensure decongestion of correctional centres across the state, and promised that as administration cares about the poorest and most vulnerable people, it will ensure total justice reforms for equity and justice to all.
"The granting of State pardoned to persons in jail has been provided for by the Nigerian Constitution.This, I believe, is borne out of the need to make the Constitution as humanely as possible and relieve the inmates of the stress and trauma associated with being in jail. It is pursuant to the foregoing that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) has given me powers as the Chief Executive of the State to pardon inmates in Correctional Centres in the State.
"Suffice it to say that the aforementioned powers are exercised after due consultation with and on the advice of the State Committee on Prerogative of mercy. I have accordingly decided to pardon a total of 153 inmates serving various jail terms at Correctional Centres across the State. Similarly, the fines/penalties of the affected inmates have been wholly settled/off-set to facilitate their immediate release from the Correctional
Centres.
"I strongly believe that as an administration , we should not criminalize poverty by putting offenders into jail for many years, just because they could not pay fines or compensation of as little as N5000.00. Poverty should not be a crime. Our justice system must treat both the rich and poor equally.
"My administration has recognised that accessing justice can often be an expensive process fraught with barriers and delays. From investigation to appeal, money is required. If you are poor, it is hard to either pursue your constitutional rights that you are entitled to as a citizens of this state and this nation, or to defend yourself against allegations. This issue has been further exacerbated by the fact that legal aid schemes and probono legal service provided by NGOs, lawyers and well to do citizens to enhance access to justice in many places, are no longer available in most places in Nigeria."
The governor who donated 50,000 thousand naira to each of the 153 freed inmates to start a business for self-reliant, called on them to henceforth, be law abiding citizens by taking the advantage of the various empowerment windows provided by his administration for poverty alleviation.
Governor Bala Mohammed at the occasion directed the Secretary to the State Government and the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice to work with the Judiciary and other law enforcement agencies to propose a committee that will comprehensively examine the system of administration of justice and make policy reform proposals that will enhance the administration of civil and criminal justice system in the state.
On his part, the Controller of the Bauchi State Correctional Service, Aliyu Abubakar Bagoja who described the pardon of the inmates as the best way of reducing decongestion in correctional centres, said the number of the governor's executive pardon is one of the largest in the country.
The Controller while appreciating the support of the state government to the service in state, appealed to Governor Bala Mohammed to support the centre by equipping its vocational and technical units of the centre for the training of inmates on different skills.
.jpeg)
Posts
0 Comments