The Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Tessy Diai has begun the first quarter of the 2023 jail delivery programme by releasing two prisoners – Abubakar Abdullahi and Ufuoma Victor – from the Sapele Custodial Centre.
Abdullahi had been in detention since 2020 for alleged conspiracy, kidnapping, and armed robbery, while Victor, who was accused of the same offence, had been in custody since 2022.
The Chief Judge said the court had struck out the case against Abdullahi and that there was no justification for his continued detention.
“In light of this development, there is no good reason for the continued detention of defendants in this facility. He is hereby discharged”, the CJ said.
Narrating his ordeal shortly after his release, Abdullahi, who expressed joy over his release, said he was innocent of the criminal charge preferred against him. He said he had gone to the market to buy a mobile phone when someone started dragging the phone with him. This, he said, led to his arrest and prosecution.
The Chief Judge, who was accompanied by the chairman and members of the Administration of Criminal Justice Committee, said the purpose of the exercise was to ensure that no inmate awaiting trial had stayed beyond the number of years they would have served if convicted.
She also released 16-year-old Isaac Frank from the remand home/children’s correctional centre.
