Delta Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro, has ordered the release of 81 inmates awaiting trial in the Sapele Custodial Centre of the state.
Mr Timothy Agbaragu, the Public Relations Officer, Delta State High Court, said this in a statement on Tuesday in Asaba.
Agbaragu said that Justice Umukoro gave the order when he visited the centre, after he listened to lawyers representing the affected inmates.
The statement noted that Justice Umukoro stated that the release of the inmates was done to decongest the centre.
It also said that the Deputy Controller of Sapele Custodial Centre, Mr Eugene Nwanze, stated that the centre had capacity for 293 inmates out of which 220 were awaiting trial.
He said that the number was 83.7 per cent of the inmate population while over 50 per cent of the same awaiting trial population was on holden charges, who had stayed longer than necessary before trial or without trial.
The statement said that Nwanze expressed joy that the release of the inmates took place at about the time he assumed duty.
