FCT minister grants pardon to 29 prisoners at Kuje, Suleja

By Stanley Onyekwere

The minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed yesterday granted pardon to 29 prisoners who were convicted by various courts within the Territory’s judicial district for different offences with options of fine, serving in Kuje Medium security prison and the Suleja prison.

Mohammed, represented at the ceremony at Kuje prison by the General Counsel of the FCT Administration, Barrister Ima Okpongete, said the clemency was purposely designed to signpost the Ramadan season.

A statement signed by the SA Media to the minister, Nosike Ogbuenyi, said the gesture is in tandem with the disposition of the current administration to impact positively on the welfare of the people, particularly the less privileged.

It added that the minister said he decided to grant the convicts amnesty by offsetting their various fines because he believed that many of them could still be reformed and contribute positively to societal development.

In approving the unconditional release of the convicts, the minister offset the total of N543, 500 being the combined fines of the 29 affected prisoners. He also presented the sum of N10,000 to each of them to enable them transport themselves home.

The prisoners were convicted with varying amounts of fines, ranging from N55,000 to N3,000, but due to their lowly economic backgrounds, they were unable to pay the fines and had to be committed to prison.

A breakdown of the amount shows that 10 prisoners whose combined fines totaled N149,500 were released from Medium Security Prison, Kuje, while 19 others whose total fines amounted to N316,000 were released from Suleja Prison.

He therefore enjoined the beneficiaries of the gesture to permanently keep away from crime, so as not to find themselves in prison again, as their freedom represents their last chance to chart a new path of orderliness, civility and good conduct as responsible members of the society.

The Controller of Prisons, FCT Command, Mallam K.O Yusuf, in a special letter of appreciation to the minister, thanked him for the kind gesture, which he described as special Ramadan gift for the benefiting inmates.