The Cross River Chief Judge, Justice Akon Ikpeme has freed 10 inmates of Ogoja Correctional Centre.
The ritual which she also said it is at the discretion of a chief judge took place during her visit to the correctional centre in Ogoja LGA in the Northern Senatorial District of Cross River State.
Justice Ikpeme while filling questions from the newsmen disclosed that most primary among them are those waiting trials, mostly for simple offenses that have stayed for too long.
In a two minutes 21 seconds video made available on social media CJ Akon explained that there were one or two prosecutions she stalled because witnesses were not coming forward.
She went further to list criteria that gives her the power to carry out the release of the inmates.
She said, “And then I also looked on account of age, a man whose record shows he is well above 60 years. Married that with the offense he was convicted for, which is adulteration of petroleum products. And in that category he was the only one I decided to release.
“There were others like murder, but due to his age, remorsefulness and the nature of the offense. I decided to release him in that category.
The C’River Chief Judge also intimated the journalists that there were some on medical ground but in marrying with the offense committed one needs to be convicted, so she didn’t go there..
While explaining whether the act is a ritual or by discretion. She said “The act is ritual and at discretion. Since we took over from the white people, even from their time it has been a tradition. God forgives us.
“And so it has been a tradition, you look around the chief judge would always pay a visit to see those that are due to be released.
“But there are criteria, in doing so, like some offenses that are very serious, capital offense, we hardly go there.
“But where we can, the offenses are simple offenses, the people are remorseful, we released because even the correctional centres, we used to call them prisons, but now it’s correctional centers.
“And by that name, it should tell you that putting them in custody, meant to correct them. And when there’s evident that, that correction is the there, so we release them. She said.
Another criteria which she looked at were few of those who have been convicted and they have served. Citing a man who has one month to complete his term of conviction and she released him.