75 Year Old, 45 Others Regain Freedom From Ikoyi Prison

The Chief Judge Of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips has granted freedom to 46 awaiting trial inmates of Ikoyi prisons including 75 year old, Job Meleb.

Meleb said after his release that he was awaiting trial over alleged murder since 2008 and that he had yet to be charged to court.
The chief judge ordered the release of the inmates during her visit to the prison. She said the gesture was aimed at decongesting the prison in order to alleviate the sufferings of the inmates.
Phillips admonished them to be of good behaviour and make positive impacts in the society.
“Today, I release you from prison custody and I admonish you to go and sin no more,” she told the elated inmates and commended various non-governmental organisations, especially the Christian Lawyers Association (CLA) and the Zarafat and Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), for their contributions to the welfare of the inmates.
“I have a magnetic and very retentive brain. So, I would remember any of you if I come across your name again”.
The Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Emmanuel Bamidele who noted that the stigma of being former prisoners had remained a major obstacle, allayed the fear of members of the society that those set free would not pose any problem as they had undergone genuine reformation and rehabilitation.
“Therefore to settle down for something meaningful after release may not constitute worry provided society allowed them second chance”.
“Nevertheless, let me assure my Lord and other people here that you will never regret the bold laudable action taken today”, he said.
The deputy Comptroller of prisons counseled the freed prison inmates to be of good behaviour henceforth and not to betray the confidence reposed in them.
He also gave same advice to the remaining inmates saying that this is the only way to ensure a repeat of the Chief Judge’s visit to the prisons.
“To my obedient, tolerant and understanding inmates particularly those that will get freedom today, as you can see and hear, I have spoken for you to be of good behaviour henceforth. Therefore never you betray the confidence so that it will not be too long before we get this type of rear opportunity”, he said.
The prison boss pleaded with the state Chief judge for the donation of a bus in order to have enough buses for use of prisoners going for trial. He said that the existing four buses had proved inadequate for conveying between 80 to 120 inmates to different courts daily.
He said an additional bus would complement the existing four and would make late arrivals in courts a thing of the past.
Justice Phillips had on September 18 released 233 inmates from the Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Security Prisons in Lagos, bringing the total of prisoners she has released to 279 since her appointment as the Chief Justice of Lagos state.