Rivers State Judiciary frees 150 inmates in a bold decongestion effort led by Chief Judge Simeon Amadi, promoting justice and reform across custodial centres

Rivers State Judiciary has freed 150 inmates across the state’s Maximum Security Custodial Centres as part of its ongoing goal delivery exercise for the 2024/2025 legal year.

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The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi, disclosed this on Wednesday during the release of the final batch of inmates at the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Custodial Centre.

The move also marked the commencement of the 2025/2026 legal year.

According to Justice Amadi, the initiative was designed to decongest custodial centres and offer relief to inmates who had either overstayed without trial, had missing case files, or whose cases warranted judicial reconsideration.

He explained that the exercise was both constitutional and humanitarian, rooted in the powers conferred upon the Chief Judge under the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State.

“The objective is not only to uphold justice but also to restore hope to those who have been unjustly held or left waiting for years,” Amadi said, urging freed inmates to become “ambassadors of a better society” rather than return to crime.

The Chief Judge also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among key justice stakeholders, including the Police, Ministry of Justice, Judiciary, and Correctional Service, to ensure efficient investigations and timely dispensation of justice.

Of the total 150 inmates released, 109 were discharged by the Magistrate Courts, while 41 were freed directly by the Chief Judge himself.

In his remarks, the Controller of Correctional Centres, Rivers State Command, Felix Madumere, commended the judiciary for its proactive role in decongesting facilities and giving hope to those awaiting trial.

Madumere also called for the establishment of a Board of Prerogative of Mercy and the expansion of infrastructure for death row inmates and lifers to further address overcrowding challenges.

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The release underscores the state’s ongoing efforts to balance justice with compassion, ensuring that the correctional system remains a place of reform rather than indefinite detention.