The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips on Tuesday freed 75 awaiting trial inmates (ATI) from the Kirikiri prisons.
Justice Phillips also used the occasion of the release to announce her retirement on July 26, 2014 to coincide with her 65th year birthday.
Among those released was one female, Mandy Freedom, most of who have been awaiting trial for two years.
Three inmates, including a very sick Luqman Alabi brought in on a stretcher, were released from the Maximum Security Prisons and 71 others from the Medium Maximum Prisons.
They released pursuant to the powers conferred on the Chief Judge under Section 1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2007.
The release of the 75 inmates yesterday has brought to 672 the number awaiting trial inmates released during her two-year tenure.
Justice Phillips told the inmates that the visit was her last assignments in the prisons since she is due for retirement next month.
She told the newly freed inmates "to go and sin no more" and counseled them to be of good behaviour as they return to the society.
The Deputy Commisoner of Prisons, Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Mr. Olumide Tinuoye thanked the Chief Judge for the gesture saying that her administration has significantly reduced the number of awaiting trial inmates in the prisons.
While also thanking the Chief Judge for her efforts in decongesting the prisons, the Deputy Commissioner of Prison in charge of the Kirikiri female prisons, Mrs. Leticia Isioma Onwuli lamented the poor state of health facilities in the prison.
She said the Kirikiri female prison clinic located within the prison facility currently lack adequate equipment to deal with the increasing challenge of female inmates especially the pregnant inmates.
She noted that the prison female clinic lack the necessary equipment to deal with the health challenges of the inmates especially pregnant ones.
The DCP said the kirikiri female prison facility currently have 205 inmates of which 170 are awaiting trial, 32 convicted, two condemned, one lifer, Eight pregnant women and nine mothers with babies.
She pleaded with the Chief Judge to use her office to appeal to the state government to provide rebate for female inmates who are referred to the general hospital for treatment.
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