By Ademola Orubon
The Ogun state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Akingbolahan Adeniran says decongestion of Correctional Centres across the state will be its priority, as the state government has set up committee towards achieving the mission.
He said that Prerogative of Mercy Council Committee and Community Service Centres would be established in conjunction with the state Correctional Service Centre to decongest the prisons across the state.
He stated this at a familiarization tours to the Office of the state Controller of Correctional Centres, at Federal Government Secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta and Ibara and Oba Correctional Centres in the state.
He assured the Awaiting Trials (ATs) of fair hearing of their cases through the establishment of Private Lawyers to weigh into their case, if the accused persons declined of government’s lawyers.
“Though, most of accused persons may not be able to have deal with the government lawyers, that is more reasons, we will establish private lawyer to come into their cases for quick dispensation of justice,” Adeniran said
He added that Administration of Criminal Justice Committee would also initiated by the present administration, so as to further decongest the prisons, noting that public prosecutors would be noticed of cases in the state for advice..
“This Committee will work with Court Registrar, Director of Public Prosecutions and other relevant agency to fasten the dispensation of justice, where the public prosecutors will easily offer advice for court cases, relating to awaiting trials which will reduce overloading of works for prison officers, and others”, he said
The Attorney-General of the state vowed to provide them the internet facilities to boost their daily activities, so as reduce most of paper works and promote quick dispensation of justice.
In his response, the Controller, Ogun state Correctional Centre, Mr. Abolade Victor Benson, appreciated the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, noting that he came to their rescue in an appropriate time.
He said the state Correctional Centres needs the assistance of state government concerning the Awaiting Trials (ATs), noting that 80percent of AT were from the state.
Benson said that the government need to assist the Correctional Centres through freeing of some inmates which has no case to answer, and which some of them had repent their sins.
“As you can see them now, most of them were in National Open University (NOUN) some have completed, some of them have learnt vocational jobs which can be useful in the society, they really deserves the government attention”, he added
In terms of logistics, the Controller requested for 15 Vehicles from the state government, in order to convey the inmates to their various courts for hearing and courts session.