The Chief Judge of Edo State, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, has granted freedom to an inmate of Auchi Medium Security Correctional Centre.

The freed inmate, Saliu Akande, who had been incarcerated since 2020 over alleged rape gained freedom when the CJ visited the facility on Thursday.

Okungbowa directed that the inmate be granted freedom due to non-availabilIty of case files and charges against him for the past four years.

The Chief Judge said the visit was part of his activities to decongest the correctional centre and to promote speedy trials.

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“Section 470 (2) of Edo State Administration of Law 2018 has entrusted us with the mandate to ensure the criminal matters are speedily dealt with and congestion of criminal cases in courts are drastically reduced.

“Since my assumption of office, I have together with members of Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee worked assiduously to ensure that our mandate is accorded much desired seriousness.

“To this end, my avowed and unalloyed commitment is that no one is made to remain here one day longer than necessary unless as prescribed by law.

“Today’s exercise, therefore underscores the passion and commitment of my administration to achieve these goals” Okungbowa said.

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The CJ thanked the members of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee for their support and effort aimed at decongesting correctional/custodial facilities in the state.

Okungbowa said he was aware of the perennial challenges faced by the correctional services in Edo and assured to ameliorate the problems.

He called on those who have benefited from the exercise in the state to be of good behaviour and ensure they avoid any act of misbehaviour that may bring them back as they may not be lucky next time around.

Welcoming him to the centre, the Assistant Controller of Auchi Command of the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCS), Kingsley Ebare, commended the Chief judge for his efforts at ensuring that only those qualified inmates benefited from the exercise.

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“The visit will restore hope to the hopeless and reposition their minds that Justice will be served to deserving persons according to the laws of the land,” he said.

Ebare thanked the CJ for appointing a substantial judge at the high court for prompt trials.

“In recent past, trial process at the high court Auchi were crawling, but for your benevolence of appointing a substantive judge, we are optimistic that adjudication of cases will pick up.

“To this extent, we are grateful to you in particular and to the state government at large” he said.

He, however,, appealed to Okungbowa to help the centre to liaise with the state government for assistance in the area of logistics and medical care for inmates.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, wanted.

According to a statement on its official Facebook, Thursday, EFCC declared Bello wanted for offences relating to economic and financial crimes.

“Former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, is wanted by the EFCC for offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 billion.

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“Anybody with information as to his whereabout should report immediately to the commission or the nearest police station,” the EFCC said.

Recall that on Wednesday the anti-graft agency’s officials besieged the former governor’s residence in Abuja to effect his residence.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo came with his security operatives and whisked him away from the grasp of the EFCC.

The Edo State Commissioner for Arts, Culture, Tourism and Diaspora Affairs, Uyi Oduwa-Malaka, has been stripped of the honourary chieftaincy conferred on her by HRH, Nathaniel Igelugbo Omogbai, The Okpamen the IX, the Onotare of Ozalla Kingdom in Owan West local government area of the state.

The commissioner, who was conferred the chieftaincy, the Uzoyare of Ozalla kingdom, was stripped of the title, alleged misconduct.

She was accused of misconduct and disrespect to the king by asking him to meet her in the car when she drove into the palace on the 12th of April, 2024.

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A press statement signed by the Palace Spokesman, Dr. Osumah Obaze, and made available to journalists in Benin City, said the Onotare ordered the immediate revocation of her title so as to serve as a deterrent to others with the intentions of desecrating the respected throne.

The statement also said that another title Ozemevboya of Ozalla Kingdom given to George Ohioma is also revoked and now an exclusive preserve of “Ozalla freeborns”.

The statement reads: “Her legion of offences among others, includes openly insulting the Onotare and for not paying obeisance to the Onotare of Ozalla on the 13th of April, 2024, during Ivbamen festival in the present of the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Blessing Agbebaku and Chairman, Owan West Local Government, Mr. Dickson Ahonsi and for openly boasting to remove the traditional ruler from office.

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“In the same vein, the Onotare of Ozalla, His Royal Highest Nathaniel Igelugbo Omogbai also revoked the honorary chieftaincy title, Ozemevboya of Ozalla Kingdom conferred on Barr. George Ohioma aka Armani for openly insulting and physically assaulting the Onotare of Ozalla and Secretary to the Onotare, Mr. Ehichioya Ujuanbi in the presence of the Speaker to Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku and the Chairman of Owan West Local Government Council, Mr. Dickson Ahonsi at the Onotare’s Palace.

“The title Ozemevboya of Ozalla Kingdom is now the exclusive reserve of the freeborn of Ozalla Kingdom, not strangers like Barr George Ohioma. The Onotare of Ozalla, His Royal Highest Nathaniel Igelugbo Omogbai has banned/ostracized Mrs. Uyi Oduwa-Malaka and Barr. George Ohioma from the palace with immediate effect. This is for the information of the general public.”

Oduwa-Malaka could not be reached on phone and she did not respond to inquiries about the development including when the press statement was sent to her WhatsApp number for response.