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Wednesday 7 June 2017

The Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro, has expressed worry over the rising number of convicts on death row in Warri Prison.

Warri Prison and called for the relocation of the Medium Prison to the outskirts of the oil city, as practiced in other climes.

Justice Umukoro expressed his concern on Tuesday in Asaba, during a courtesy visit by the Chairman and Members of the Delta State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.
Umukoro disclosed that no fewer than 180 condemned criminals were awaiting execution at the Warri Prison and called for the relocation of the Medium Prison to the outskirts of the oil city, as practiced in other climes.

The Chief Judge lamented the high crime rate in the state and blamed it on family dysfunction.
He called on the advisory body led by Chief A.P.J. Okpakpor, to be vigilant and professional in making their recommendations to the governor in the exercise of his powers of prerogative of mercy under section 212 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).



Justice Umukoro told the chairman and members to be guided by the statutory requirements while considering applications for granting of amnesty. He stressed that those to be considered must have either exhausted all legal rights of appeal or not interested in pursuing such right.
According to him, other grounds for consideration include when an inmate is discovered to have been wrongly convicted or on health grounds which he advised must be properly investigated.
He warned that medical certificates can be doctored with a view to misleading the Council.
He also charged members to embark on prison visitation to ascertain claims by inmates who applied for amnesty before making their recommendations.

He advocated for constitutional amendment to remove prison from the exclusive legislative list.
Earlier, the Chairman of the advisory council, Okpakpor, described the judiciary as the last hope of both the rich and the common man, adding that without the judgment of the courts, the council will be unable to discharge its statutory functions.
Okpakpor said the visit was to pay the Chief Justice​ obedience and tap from his wealth of experience as the head of the judiciary in the state.
He hinted the Chief Judge of the council’s intention to visit the various Federal Prisons in the state for on-the-spot assessment.
Okpakpor was accompanied by other members of the council, including the Secretary, Mrs. Uju Monye, Dr. Sam Efetobor, Hon. Krees Njiokwuemini and representative of the Nigerian Prisons​ Service, CSP Paulina Egbon.
Other members of the seven-man advisory council include Mrs. Irene Imilar (representing Delta South) and John Okoriko Esq (representing the Nigeria Bar Association).

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