By Olayemi Esan, Abuja
The Controller, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS), FCT Command, Mr Abdul-rahman Maiyaki, has called for a virtual court sitting for inmates to aid speedy decongestion of custodial centres.
Maiyaki made the call during a courtesy visit to Justice Peters Kekemeke, Federal High Court, Nyanya on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said the purpose of the visit was to address the issues the inmates were facing in the custodial centres, noting that remand inmates were of major concern.
The controller noted that although virtual court sitting had been on during the recent strike by court workers, he said it was necessary to continue virtual court sittings to help inmates get justice immediately.
“By so doing, this will not only address the issue of overcrowding but also ease the unnecessary panic and tension that lead to jailbreaks in the custodial centres.
“The issue of Awaiting Trials Persons (ATPs) as well would be addressed and this would decongest our custodial centres as most of them were the reasons the custodial centres were overcrowded,” he said.
Maiyaki assured Kekemeke of the security of any Judge sent to the custodial centres for any sitting as NCoS had put in place necessary measures to ensure their safety.
“We have decided that no inmates will be seen around the centres until the trials are done. We have also prepared a place for the justice to sit,” he said.
Responding, Justice Kekemeke said the majority of inmates on remand had not been convicted of a criminal offence and were awaiting trial following a not guilty plea.
Kekemeke said several inmates had been illegally kept behind bars without any reason, adding that virtual sitting would help in decongesting the centres.
The judge who doubles as the Liaison Officer of the high court and NCoS assured the team of quick response to help fight to overcrowd.
“We will be proactive in sending the magistrates to visit the custodial centres to ensure the Correctional Service is decongested.
“The court will ensure people are posted once or twice to the centres for inmates’ trials,” he said.
Kekemeke urged the controller and his team to make provisions to construct courts inside the custodial centres, adding that it would solve the issue of overcrowding speedily.
He noted that cases were slow due to lack of witnesses and that magistrates and judges were always ready to work but witnesses were not always on the ground.
The judge also urged them to carry the police and other necessary sister agencies along in their arrangements to have an effective outcome.
