LAGOS CJ ADVOCATES NON-CUSTODIAL SENTENCE FOR MINOR OFFENDERS

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke on Wednesday directed Magistrate Courts to deploy more of non-custodial sentence for minor offenders in order to decongest the prisons in Lagos.

Justice Oke issued the directives while granting freedom to nine prison inmates, adding that a circular formally instructing magistrate courts to make use of non-custodial sentences for minor offences like street trading would soon be issued and magistrate courts would be monitored to ensure compliance.

She also disclosed plans by the Lagos State government to set up restorative justice centres, stressing that all simple cases need not go to the courts once a defendant pleads guilty and agrees to pay the penalty for the said crime.

The nine inmates released included five from the  Medium Security Prisons and four from the Maximum Security Prisons, Kirikiri, having spent between eight and 11 years in custody.  

The Chief Judge implored the released inmates to henceforth be of good behaviour and stay away from crime, adding that they should desist from any act that would bring them back to prison.

Lagos State Controller of Prisons, Tunde Ladipo, while responding to questions from newsmen commended the Lagos Chief Judge for bringing hope to the inmates and applauded her efforts to decongest the prisons.

Ladipo also noted the efforts of the Nigerian Prisons Service to decongest the Prisons, saying that this was why the Federal government set up the Presidential Committee on Prerogative of Mercy for deserving inmates.