Read what Kaduna chief justice did to 56 prisoners

Justice Zailani releases 56 prisoners in Kaduna

– Justice Zailani  says several prisoners are imprisoned for trivial offences

– The chief justice blamed judges for prison congestion

– He urges judges to be fair and just

Justice Tanimu Zailani who is the chief justice of Kaduna state released 56 inmates from the Kaduna Central Prison.

The chief justice made this move on Wednesday, March 17 as part of efforts to decongest prisons in the state.

Zailani blamed the congestion of prisons in the state on judges for failing to be fair and just in the discharge of duties. He said people were sent to prison for trivial offences.

“Most of the prisoners are in prison for simple theft, but were branded with armed robbery just to keep them in prison.

“As judges, we are supposed to be professionals and should not be found truncating justice in whatever guise. We are expected to uphold justice and that is what we must do.

“For those with offence of court contempt, you can punish the offenders right there in the court. There is no need putting them in jail.”

Justice Zailani explained that some of the freed prisoners were first time offenders arrested for non-capital offences, those unable to meet their bail conditions, and those whose case records were neither with the Ministry of Justice nor the police.

“As such there was no point keeping them in jail. Other offences were mainly court contempt that the judges could have settled them in court.”