Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has granted pardon to 33 convicted prison inmates serving various jail terms at the Abakaliki and Afikpo Correctional Center.
The State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Cletus Ofoke stated this on Friday in Abakaliki, the State Capital.
He said that the decision to pardon the inmates was in line with the Federal Government policy to decongest the Correctional Centers.
The Attorney General said that the pardon followed recommendations of the state advisory council.
He noted that the convicts include both male and female with cases ranging from stealing, burglary, assault to occasioning bodily harm among others.
According to him, those on death roll at the different Correctional Centers in the state were not considered.
He said, “The Governor in his averred determination to decongest the Correctional Center in the Ebonyi state and guided by the recommendations of the state advisory council on prerogative of mercy has granted unconstitutional pardon and clemency has granted to 33 convicts serving various terms in the Correctional Centers in Abakailiki and Afikpo in Ebonyi State”.
“The Governor in line with the Federal government to decongest the prisons following the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus disease which the entire world is fighting so that it won’t escalate in the country. Governor Umahi believes that the idea of social distancing which is being preached in the state may not be attained if the Correctional facilities in the state is not decongested”.
“The social distancing will not be attained because of the way the inmates are arranged at the centre and has urged the convicts so pardoned to be accepted by their relatives, villages and families.