From ABBAS GUNGURA, Bauchi
Inmates totalling 96, serving various jail terms at correctional centres across 20 local government areas of Bauchi State were recently granted state pardon by Governor Bala Mohammed, as part of his administration’s resolve and determination to ensure decongestion of the correctional centres.
Speaking at the executive pardon held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Bauchi, the governor said that seven million naira has been paid by the state government to facilitate the immediate release of the inmates from the correctional centres.
He explained that the decision to pardon them followed careful review of their records by the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy who confirmed the remorsefulness of the inmates towards their misdeeds and their determination to become good citizens who would be useful to themselves and the society.
Our correspondent who covered the occasion reports that Governor Bala made it clear that the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), has given him power as the chief executive of the state to pardon inmates in correctional centres in the state and announce government’s donation of 100 thousand naira to each of the 96 freed inmates to establish their business.
He tasked the pardoned convicts to henceforth be law abiding citizens and engage in legitimate endeavors by taking advantage of the various empowerment windows provided by his administration so as to become self- reliant and purposeful members of the society.
The governor noted that his administration is committed to ensuring speedy dispensation of criminal justice, hence the approval for upward review of the N500,000:00 released to Ministry of Justice quarterly to N1,000,000:00 as prosecution fees meant for taking care of expenses incurred while procuring prosecution witnesses.
Mohammed therefore used the occasion to request the Chief Judge of the state to prevail on judges, especially judges of the lower courts, to be wary of remanding persons at the correctional centres for simple offences or even purely civil cases like matrimonial matters.
Earlier in his address, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Hassan El-Yakub, explained the functions of the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy to include considering issues of well-being of convicted inmates held in the Custodial Centres across the state, including payment of fine or compensation which will not only help to decongest the custodial centres, but assist the reformed convicts to become good citizens who will eventually engage themselves in meaningful economic activities that will be beneficial to themselves and the society at large.
