The Victory Idewele Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has paid a N10 million fine to free 27 inmates in Kogi State.
The Chief Judge of Kogi, Justice Josiah Majebi, announced the gesture on Saturday during a visit to the state’s correctional centres.
The foundation also plans to train the freed inmates for three months in Abuja to help them acquire skills and become self-reliant.
The initiative benefited inmates from various centres, including Koton-Karfe, Kabba, and Ankpa. The Chief Judge praised the foundation’s efforts to help reintegrate the inmates into society.
Justice Majebi said, “Aside from the payment of fines and compensations made by the foundation, the NGO has also decided to train the freed inmates for three months in Abuja to enable them to acquire skills and become self-reliant in society.”
According to him, at the Koton-Karfe Maximum Security Correctional Centre, two inmates, Mustapha Idris, who was fined N50,000, regained his freedom, while Kehinde Amaka, sentenced to one-year imprisonment with a fine of N300,000, benefited from the gesture of the foundation but has to remain in custody until January 15, 2025, to complete his jail term.
Also, at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kabba, the Chief Judge released 20 inmates, while 5 inmates were released in Ankpa.
The Chief Judge, who stated that the essence of the visit was to ensure that no inmate was being detained unjustly, cautioned the magistrates against being used as agents of oppression.
He lamented the way and manner in which some prosecutors delay cases unnecessarily, causing awaiting trial inmates to stay long periods in custody.
Majebi, who was full of praises to the founder and chairman of the foundation, Mr Innocent Idelewe, for choosing Kogi state for the gesture said the support would go a long way to change the freed inmates positively.
“This visit is special and unique because, in the history of the state, this type of additional event during correctional centre visits has never happened before.
“Prior to our preparation for this visit, the chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Hon. Halidu Adejo, introduced Mr. Innocent Idewele to me, stating that he wanted to pay the fines and compensations of inmates so they could regain their freedom.
“I discussed with officers in charge of the correctional centres in Ankpa, Dekina, Idah, Koton-Karfe, Kabba, and Okene, and the inmates in the category amounted to ten million naira, which the foundation paid to the Kogi State government,” he said.
The Chief Judge commended the efforts of the chairman of Idah Local Government for the concern shown toward the custodial centre in the town and urged other local government chairmen to do the same in the interest of the state.
In his remarks, the founder of the foundation, Innocent Idewele, said the NGO is focused on changing human lives, especially those of the less privileged in society, noting that every need of the citizens should not be left for the government to tackle.
