Akwa Ibom Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy harps on fairness
Concludes Tour of Custodial Centres
By Edidiong Udobia
The Akwa Ibom State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, ACPM has tasked members of the society, appropriate government organs and other agencies involved in the dispensation of justice to be fair with the citizens.
The Council gave the charge through her chairman, Sir. Adasi Ubulom at the Ikot Ekpene Custodial Centre, where the Council interacted with 86 inmates awaiting trial without any legal representation and 30 convicted inmates.
Sir. Ubulom noted that findings from their visits to the custodial centres and interactions indicate that some of the awaiting trial inmates are victims of frivolous charges and have no business being there, urging that due diligence investigations should be made before suspects are charged as it is heartbreaking that some of the inmates are remanded indefinitely without trial.
Sir. Ubulom emphasized that the society risked facing the wrath of those unjustly put behind the bars as they may decide to take vengeance, calling on government at all levels and the people to wake up and fight against injustice.
“We must wake up as a country and as a people to fight against injustice. A lot of those I have seen here are victims of injustice by the society and it is unfair”, he added.
Addressing the over 30 convicted inmates in the Custodial Centre, Sir Ubulom charged the inmates to become ambassadors of good behaviour and advocate against crime, adding that the Council will conduct thorough findings on every inmate to know who deserve pardon.
Members of the Council had earlier visited Eket Custodial Centre where they met 38 inmates awaiting trial. The chairman who was represented by a member of the council, Mr. Isuamfon Archibong lamented over the sad condition of the inmates.
The Council concluded the tour with a visit to Uyo Custodial Centre last Tuesday. In his welcome remarks, the Deputy Controller of Corrections, Uyo Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Okoro Godwin lamented that due to shortage of vehicles male and female inmates are usually parked in one vehicle when they are taken to court, adding that the situation has overstressed the facility.
“I have only one vehicle that I use to convey inmates to court and both male and female inmates are usually put in the same vehicle, which should not be. I cover 52 courts and sometimes, the court hearings clash and if we don’t produce an inmate in the court it will be contempt of court”. Further lamenting the the Centre is in dire need of facilities, he said; “We are part of the decongestion, but we cannot decongest without reform and we cannot reform without appropriate tools”.
The ACPM chairman Sir Ubulom who was represented by a member of the Council, Mr. Charles Ndanyongmong commended the Warders for their commitment despite working with inadequate facilities, adding that the Council will convey the challenges to appropriate government organs.
The Council has decided to pay the option of fines for indigent inmates who have wallowed in the Custodial Centres for many months because of their inability to pay the fine options.
