Ekiti CJ Laments Congestion Of Correctional Centre

The Chief Justice of Ekiti state, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye has called on government at all levels to commence the expansion of the correctional centre in the state towards achieving the decongestion of the center.

Justice Adeyeye who spoke during the special court sitting marking the commencement of the 2022/2023 legal year in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Thursday expressed regret over the condition of the centre in the state, adding that governments and other stakeholders should rise up to save the situation.

He added that the correctional centre was designed with the capacity of 324 inmates but said as of October 6, the centre was having 712 inmates, saying, no doubt the facilities were extremely over stretched.

As part of measures to decongest the correctional centre, he said in the outgone legal year, a total of 102 inmates were released on bail, unconditionally and advice from the Director of public prosecution.

The CJ while commending the outgoing Attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda,SAN for the numerous reforms introduced in the state’s judiciary in the last four years, stating that these reforms had helped in no small measure to the effective administration of justice in the state.

According to him, “Correctional centre as the name suggest should exist not in form but in substance, they should be more of correctional than punitive centres where inmates spend time to reflect and learn.

“I therefore call on the government at all levels as well as non-governmental organisations to take steps to expand and equip the facilities to ensure that they serve the purposes of correction and rehabilitation rather than being mere dungeons for dehumanization.”