42-year-old woman, Angela Omieh jailed for impersonating the Nigerian Army has been set free by Edo State Chief Judge, Justice Esther Edigin after spending five months and five days at the the Oko Medium Correctional Centre in Benin City.

She was among the 11 inmates who were released on health ground by the Chief Judge in exercise of prerogative of mercy on Monday.

Justice Edigin noted that the inmates were discharged and released unconditionally.

The inmates are a 42-year-old woman Angela Omieh, Patrick Odigie, Adoru Okwudili,  Uchenna Obiako, Dennis Agbonkoonkon, Joseph Aniete, Philip Capele, Manaseh Gboko, Ayoba Stephen, Samson Alao, and Benjamin Simeon

The other  inmates were discharged and  released unconditionally based on health grounds, some because they had spent more than the punishment provided if sentenced and others ‘No case files’

TheNewspad reports that some of the inmates were charged for conspiracy of Armed Robbery, Breach of Peace, operating Illegal Brothel, conduct likely to cause Breach of peace, and conspiracy 
conspiracy.

Justice Edigin noted, ” my visit is germane being part of urgent measures  taken by stakeholders, especially in the Administration of Criminal Justice System, to ensure speedy decongestion of correctional centres, in view to the ravaging global Covid-19 Pandemic.

On his part, the Deputy Controller of Oko Security Custodial Centre, Mr Godwin Evboeruan, urged the Chief Judge to use her office to prevail on Gov. Godwin Obaseki to grant waiver to inmates to be treated free of charge in state-owned hospitals.

He noted that most of the inmates the correctional centres were indigents.

Our Correspondent reports that it was Justice Edigin maiden visit to correctional centres since she was sworn-in as Edo Chief Judge November, last year.

In a similar development, The Chief Judge (CJ)  of Edo, Justice  Esther Edigin on Tuesday,  ordered unconditional  released of another  11 inmates from Benin custodial centre as measures to ensure speedy decongestion of correctional centres, in view of the  ravaging global COVID-19 pandemic.

The inmates freed are Umoru Kano, Idris Shittu, Emmanuel Harrison, Hammidson Hammed, Lucky Elum, Samson Mbuko, Oshua Oziegbe, Nasiru Mukala, Kingsley Felix, ThankGod Eneji and Emmanuel Idahosa.

Among those released, Oziegbe had served over the maximum sentence period if sentenced, while another,Idahosa had served 2 years of the maximum five. 

Another, Elum was arrested for overtaking a one star MOPOL van at Sapele road in Benin City.

Harrison, Kano, Shittu, Harrison, and Hammed were also released on the advise of the Department of public prosecution  (DPP) of ‘ No case to answer’.

Mbuko who was charged under Section 430 of the Criminal Code for possessing his late elder brothers generator was released and the O.C. Legal asked to ensure the release of his generator.

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