Justice in Motion: Adamawa CJ Frees 69 Inmates in Major Decongestion Drive Across Numan, Shelleng, Guyuk

 

Justice in Motion: Adamawa CJ Frees 69 Inmates in Major Decongestion Drive Across Numan, Shelleng, Guyuk

In a significant push to decongest prisons and deliver swift justice, the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, led a major jail delivery exercise on Wednesday, granting freedom to dozens of inmates across multiple facilities.

The initiative, which saw the committee storm custodial centres in Numan, Shelleng, and Guyuk, resulted in a mix of discharges, sentence reviews, and convictions, offering relief to many while upholding justice for serious crimes.

A Breakdown of the Deliveries

The impact was felt across the three locations, with the committee taking a case-by-case approach:

• At the Numan Federation: A total of 69 inmates were discharged, marking the largest number of releases. Additionally, the sentences of 34 inmates were reviewed, 8 were convicted, and 2 others were granted bail.

• At the Shelleng Satellite Facility: The committee freed 6 inmates and reviewed the sentences of 15 others.

• At the Numan and Guyuk Facilities: A detailed review showed that across these centres, the committee discharged 52, granted bail to 2, reviewed the jail terms of 19, and convicted 8 at Numan. In Guyuk, 11 were discharged and 8 had their sentences reviewed.

Focus on Minor Offences, No Mercy for Major Crimes

The exercise specifically benefited individuals charged with a range of non-capital offences. These included:

• Criminal breach of trust

• Cheating

• Intimidation

• Theft

• Criminal force or assault

• Criminal misappropriation

• Attempt to commit an offence

However, the committee drew a firm line on severe crimes. The Chief Judge and her team declined to entertain cases involving capital offences such as kidnapping, Shila gangsterism, culpable homicide, rape, and trafficking. This underscores the exercise's goal of alleviating overcrowding caused by minor offenders while ensuring those accused of the gravest crimes remain within the justice system.

This extensive jail delivery drive highlights the ongoing efforts by the Adamawa State judiciary to balance mercy with the rigorous demands of justice, ensuring that the correctional system is both efficient and humane.