Ondo State Chief Judge Olusegun Odusola has granted amnesty to 12 inmates who were awaiting trial for various offences at the Security Custodial Centre in Owo.
Mr Odusola, on Monday, granted the release of the inmates during a routine visit to the facility.
He said the gesture was part of efforts to decongest the correctional centres across the state.
The Chief Judge had last week pardoned eight inmates in Ondo and Okitipupa Custodial Centres, making it a total of 20 inmates released in the state in the last week.
The inmates were released unconditionally due to a lack of diligent prosecution on the part of the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Ondo State Ministry of Justice.
Those who were pardoned and their alleged offences include a 35-year-old man, Godwin Stephen, who had been standing trial for three years and three months over burglary and stealing; Olajide Oluwaniyi, 35, awaiting trial for cultism for over two years; Ajayi Shittu, 37, for stealing, and Olorunduyilami Abayomi, 23, for attempted murder.
Other inmates released include 51-year-old Eze Friday, also on trial for almost four years for defilement; Moses Odey, 23, standing trial for cultism; a 42-year-old hunter, Ismaila Ojo, facing a murder charge; Friday Emmanuel, 29, standing trial for unlawful carnal knowledge; Seun Ologunagba, Peter John, Lohman Dakati, 23, and Shuaibu Wisdom, 29, all charged for stealing.
The Chief Judge noted that some inmates had been in custody for many years without trial, while some were detained unlawfully for a long period over lack of diligent prosecution either from the court or the DPP.
Mr Odusola said the visit was to review some cases of human rights abuse and also to inspect the general condition of the centres.
He lamented over the state of some of the correctional centres across the state, especially the Okitipupa Centre, while he called on the authority of the centre to take the necessary steps to ensure its rehabilitation.
He then urged the released inmates to turn over a new leaf and keep away from any act that could lead them back to the correctional centre.
In his remark, the State Comptroller of Corrections, Jude Agboje, appreciated the Chief Judge and his team for taking time to address critical issues relating to congestion in the custodial centres.
