As a way of marking the birthday of a youth parliamentarian, Prince Adetayo Adekunle, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Mukhtar Abimbola has granted amnesty to twenty-two (22) inmates of Abolongo Prisons, Oyo Town.
This is just as three others were sentenced to three months community Service.
The ceremony, which was part of the birthday celebration of Adekunle, who represents Oyo Central in the Nigeria Youth Parliament, Abuja, the CJ was represented by a three-member Special Court consisting of Deputy Chief Registrars- Mrs O.A Adetujoye, Mrs O.A Ogunrin and Alhaja S.A Oyerinde who conducted proceedings.
Welcoming guests to the epoch-making event, Adekunle, who is an advocate of prisons’ decongestion thanked the number one law dispenser for keying in to his advocacy. He also appreciated the immense roles played by the Conptroller of Prisons “in making today’s auspicious event a reality.”
He charged the pardoned inmates to move away from things that would return them behind the bars again, wishing them well in their future endeavours.
The Chairman of the Oyo Metropolitan Development Association, Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu showered encomiums on the initiator of the programme, describing him as a true son of the soil. He also lauded the CJ for rising to the occasion by doing the needful and prayed for long life for the celebrant, his family, the CJ and his staff.
Ladigbolu, who is an Oyo prince, also gave out words of exhortation to the released inmates with a charge never to go back to their vomit.
In his goodwill message, the Deputy Conptroller of Prisons in charge of Abolongo Prisons, Oyo Mr S. C Esan thanked the Chief Judge of Oyo State for heeding the call of the Youth Parliamentarian.
In an emotionally laden voice, Mr Esan said ‘this youngman in whose honour we are gathered here today is worthy of being celebrated. While other youths are wasting their lives away with crimes and drugs, he is putting smiles on the faces of the people and contributing to the polity positively. To be sincere, I pray to have his type as a son’
Members of the New Covenant Church and Justice and Peace Development Movement Oyo came to the rescue of the freed inmates with clothing, food and a stipend to take some of them back to their destination.
