Ebonyi State Government raises alarm over 482 indigenes on death row in Enugu prison
Ebonyi state government has lamented that the state has the highest number of persons up to 482 on death roll in Enugu maximum security, noting that some of the criminals really committed the crime for which they were sentenced.
The Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dr Ben Uruchi Odoh, made this disclosure during the maiden accountability forum organized for his office christened “civic catalyst, HAG open forum 2.0 empowering citizens advancing justice.
Odoh disclosed that the State Ministry of justice has written applications to the governor and has also started profiling the names of the sentenced criminals believing that in no distant time, the governor will grant pardon to some of them.
He said that 159 warlords were arrested during the Effium and Ezza Effium communal war and the ministry interfaced with the governor and he granted them amnesty, adding that there was de- radicalization exercise for the 159 warlords released from prison.
He also said that 151 combatants were arrested in Edda communal crisis and the wife of the governor, Mrs Mary Maudlin Nwifuru, paid fine for 109 inmates to secure their release from custody and empowered them.
“Ebonyi has the highest number of persons on death roll. 482 of them in Enugu maximum security. Some committed the crime for which they are sentenced. We have written many applications. We are profiling them and we believe the Governor will grant pardon."
The Commissioner disclosed that the Ministry of Justice under his watch established Ebonyi muli- door court house, Ebonyi state citizens mediation centre and the office of the public Defender.
He noted that those offices have helped to enhance mediation, reconciliation, restoration, reintegration and reinstitution in justice delivery and in line with the strategic legal framework christened charter of justice.
He said that the Citizens mediation centre has helped to reduce unreasonable litigations and that the office of the office of the public Defender has effectively complemented the services of the legal aid Council by rendering services to the less privileged in the state.
Odoh pointed out that litigation is not the only way to have justice and that with Ebonyi state Mediation centre, people who can’t afford to pay for litigation, especially the indigents, the centre will sign their matter to chartered mediators.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Justice has been decentralized across three senatorial zones of the state and established an Information Communication Technology law reporting department and introduction of Ebonyi state Ministry of Justice law journal.
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