By Timothy Agbaragu / Onoriode Etatsemi
The Chief Judge of Delta State, Honourable Justice Theresa Diai, has assured Deltans that the Government of Delta State, is committed to effectively delivering of a sound judicial system and provision of a conducive working environment for the judicial sector.
The Honourable Chief Judge of Delta State who was on her 2022 second quarterly visits to the Warri Correctional centres, told the people who were at the Warri correctional centre to perform their civic responsibilities that Governor Okowa,’s government is poised in ensuring that the state work force gets the best so that they can perform better on their duties.
The CJ who had already Pardoned 4 inmates of the centre on the first day, based on a legal advice from the Delta State Public prosecution, explained that their visit to correctional centres across the state remain the same, adding that during her last visit in the first quarter of the year, she remarked that their visits was not to open the gates of the correctional centres to all inmates to regain their freedom.
She noted that their visit was to ensure that inmates do not stay more than they are expected to stay in the correctional centres as stipulated by law as they go through their records to look out for such people who may have been deprived of justice and set such free.
She Stated that their duties in visiting the centres is basically to ensure that those who are there are legitimately meant to be there and not those who have no case (s) to answer.
Earlier in his address, the deputy comptroller of the Medium Security Custodial Center Warri, Mr Joseph Edo, who was just three weeks old on duty at the Warri centre, commended the CJ and her team for the visit while assuring of their cooperation and support to move the centre forward.
He applauded the CJ further for conveying their request to the Governor of Delta through his predecessor during her first visit, appealing that more of their needs be supplied in the days ahead.
He appealed further to the CJ to tell the Delta Governor to build more cells in the courts where they have produced large number of inmates eg, Warri, Effurun and Ughelli which will reduce the large number of inmates in court.
A former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state who has stayed more than forty years in the Bar and present during the visit, Chief Otomewo, appealed to the CJ to convey his message to His Excellency Senator Dr Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.
He said the governor should as a matter of urgency create a good working environment for the judges and magistrates who are currently working in a very pitiable and harsh environment.
The CJ’s visit continues to Sapele, Kwale, Agbor and Ogwuashi-Uku correctional centres which will climax on May 27, 2022.
