Legal Aid Council Audits Okaka Correctional Centre, Yenagoa Frees 17 Year Inmate

The Legal Aid Council of Nigeria in Bayelsa on Friday said it has concluded an audit of the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa following a Presidential initiative on prison decongestion.
Mr Eddy Inenevwo, Coordinator, Legal Aid Council in Bayelsa said in an interview that the audit led to the release of a 17 year old inmate detained alongside adults.
Inenevwo explained that the Legal Aid Council carried out the audit in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission on children in custody.
He said that President Bola Tinubu had mandated the two organisations to evaluate inmates with options of fines for minor offences and minors held with adults.
According to him, data of inmates with option of fines were also compiled and sent to the office of Attorney-General of the Federation for possible payment of judgment fines.
He said that the audit found out that there is no remand centre in Bayelsa, a situation that compels detention of minors and adults.
“The Legal Aid Council and the National Human Rights Commission visited the Okaka correctional center, Bayelsa and found a 17 year old Justice Morris, who was in custody of the centre.
“He was arrested late January, charged and admitted to the correctional center on February 12, 2025. We saw that the matter was adjourned to Feb. 26, 2025 for hearing and the offence was assault occasioning harm on the head of one Patience Sumala,” Inenevwo said.
The Council took up the matter in court, where there was no prosecution witness in court. Justice Morris’s continuous stay in custody without trial is unfair and a breach of his constitutional right.
“The Chief Magistrate Court 15; struck out the charge and discharged the defendant,” Inenevwo said.