The Anambra State Chief Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi, in the course of his annual prison visitation yesterday granted bail to 13 Awaiting Trial Inmates (ATM) at the Onitsha medium prison.

Out of the number of lucky freed inmates, 10 were males, while three were females. Their offences ranged from alleged murder and conspiracy, juvenile, alleged robbery, to attempted kidnap.

The Chief Judge also directed that one 23-year-old Naomi Etim, from Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, who has been in detention for three years and eight months for alleged sale of her son, be taken to her village by her counsel and the prison authorities and handed over to the head of her clan due to her mental state.

Released on bail was 36-year-old Ifeoma Onwuaghalu, who has been in detention for four years for alleged murder of her husband during a brawl. Her late husband’s family was said to have forgiven her and had applied to discontinue the matter.

Others include, Onyemachi Obinweaku, detained when she was 15 years for abandoning her two months old baby, and Ifeanyi Okeke, who was detained after the person he fought with died about two weeks after.

Speaking at the prison, the Chief Judge said that the prison visit was an interventionist measure and not to clear all the cases, saying that it was to enable him have a feel of the inmates and how the wheel of justice machinery has been running.

He, however, lamented a situation whereby those concerned with justice administration brought suspects to court without adequate information on them.

The Anambra State Controller of Prisons, Mr. Oladipo Yusuf, in his speech, called on chief judges in the country to always visit the prisons to address many cases that have been left unattended to.

He also urged stakeholders in the justice delivery to be up and doing in addressing the issue of missing files.

•Photo shows Justice Umeadi.

Update news