Wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs. Mary-Maudaline Nwifuru, has freed convicted inmates by paying off the debt of a 16-year-old boy, Ogobuchi Ikebe, and 40 other male inmates of the custodial center, convicted with option fines.
The 16-year-old boy, Ogobuchi Ikebe, was convicted for fighting over a missing Bluetooth device.
She disclosed this at the custodial center on Tuesday during the release of the inmates at the Abakaliki Custodial Center.
Mary Nwifuru, who maintained that she would continue to fight for the less privileged in society, encouraged the ex-convicts to shun crime and any illegal actions that could bring them back to prison.
Addressing journalists at the custodial center, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ben Odo, commended the wife of the Governor for using her pet project (BERWO) to clear the fines.
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Odo also noted that none of the 31 female inmates were among those released by the Governor’s wife because they were facing capital offenses.
He explained that if they are convicted, they would be transferred to Enugu Maximum Prison, where those on death row are kept, awaiting execution.
“We have here in the Nigerian Correctional Service Custodial Centre, Abakaliki, 1,265 inmates. Out of that 1,265 inmates, 31 are female inmates, and all the female inmates have offenses attached to them.
“They are charged with capital offenses, including murder, and the matter is still ongoing in court; they have not been sentenced. This is why all the people whose fines have been paid are male.
“The 31 female inmates here still have ongoing matters in court, and because these matters are still pending, we can’t pay the fines for people who have not been sentenced by the court.
“The 31 of them are facing capital offenses, and all 31 are charged with murder. If they are convicted, the implication is that they will not remain here. Anybody convicted of murder or a capital offense will be sent to Enugu Maximum Prison, where people facing death sentences are kept,” Odo said.
One of the freed male inmates, Nwafor Emmanuel, 26, said he had been in prison since August last year and commended Mrs. Nwifuru for securing his release.
He disclosed that he witnessed the deaths of five persons in prison and vowed not to return to the offense that brought him there.
“The condition of inmates in the prison is very pathetic. I witnessed no fewer than five deaths in prison, and I will not do anything that will take me back there.
“I want to thank the wife of our dear governor for securing my release. I was convicted for stealing an electricity generator,” he said.
