Delta State Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro has challenged corporate bodies in Delta and Edo States, especially the Benin Electricity Distribution PLC (BEDC) to connect the Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service to the national grid for electricity supply.
Justice Umukoro made the call at Ogwashi-Uku while responding to request by the Officer in charge of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Frank Okonkwo where the Chief Judge rounded off the 2019 Judge’s Jail Delivery visit yesterday.
The CJ tasked the company in charge of the two Niger Delta states to live up to their corporate social responsibility to correctional facilities in the area by hooking the facility to the national grid.
According to the chief judge, “It is not every time our business entities will look for profit. The profit derivable from here if they have light and properly taken care of, and they are released could not be quantified in naira and kobo.”
The Chief Judge who disclosed that out of the total number of 2149 warrant of inmates reviewed in the five Custodial Centres across the state, 136 were regained their freedom, even as he used the auspicious occasion to admonished state counsel to reside at their stations to conduct their cases rather than staying in Asaba.
The number one Judicial Officer attributed challenges of delay in court proceedings and incessant adjournments to lack of preparedness of state counsel, prosecution, availability of witnesses and members of the bar.
The Deputy Controller of Corrections, Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre, Frank Okonkwo had in a welcome address thanked the State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the Chief Judge for refurbishing their vehicles, which he noted, had improved logistics on awaiting trial inmates to court.
Mr Okonkwo who put the total figure of both convicts and awaiting trial inmates to 806 in Ogwashi-Uku Custodial Centre, as against its 160 original capacity, appealed to the Chief Judge to use his good office to influence the state government to connect the Centre to the national electricity grid.
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