Solicitors Scheme Advisory Committee set up by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun were stunned on Wednesday as it uncovered that no fewer than 300 inmates awaiting trial at Kurmawa Custodial Center, Kano have no case diary.
Presenting some of the affected inmates at the facility, an Officer in the Prison yard, revealed that most of them have no proper documentation.
He said, some were said to have no specific Courts they are been prosecuted, and their cases have no records with the prison, but they are there for many years, while others are having capital offences but their cases are before a Lower Courts that have no jurisdiction to entertain it or prosecute the cases and they are awaiting trial without formal charges to High Courts.
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Others uncovered languishing in the Prison Without trial are those who lacks Legal Representation to represent them at the Court and as such they don’t go any Court at all.
Ibrahim Auwal Dala, an inmate who said he is facing culpable homicide charges, but explained that since 2009 that is the last 16 years he was in the prison and nobody is talking to him or taking him to Court.
He said, “my case has been even decided and I was discharged but not acquitted but since than that is 16 ago I have been staying here nobody is talking to me about the case or anything”.
Yahya Usman another inmate said he was in Court only in 2017 and since than nobody has taking him back, adding that right now he don’t know his faith.
Speaking after their visitations, the State Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, hinted that the major reasons why they are set up was for them to get to the roots of human rights violation cases, document them and forwarded them to the appropriate authorities for redressed.
He said, what they have seen on ground though cases that are still before Court of Justice and in the Juvenile House, cases that were arrested by other Security Agencies, but soon they would ensure that everybody get the desire justice for his Freedom.
The Commissioner of Police, assured that they would present their reports soon as they completed the assignment, as he expressed confidence that those affected would get justice.
