The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips, has approved the release of 119 awaiting trial inmates from the Maximum and Medium Security Prison, Kirikiri, CEOAFRICA.com gathered.

The breakdown, according to sources, states that 99 inmates were released from the medium security prison, while 20 were released from the maximum security prison. They include Dare and Dada Egbebunmi, who have been on awaiting trial list for the past 13 years.

The release was part of means of decongesting the prisons and in accordance with the exercise of the Chief Judge’s powers under Section1 (1) of the Criminal Justice Release from Custody Special Provision Act CAP C40, 2007, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Chief Judge, who was accompanied by senior members of the judiciary, including judges and the Chief Registrar, admonished the freed inmates to be of good behaviour.

“I release all you today 25th day of September, 2013 from custody pursuant to the powers conferred on me and admonish you to go and sin no more,” she said.

She asked the freed inmates to go out and begin to do what is right adding, “we don’t expect to see you here again. It is painful when we release you and we come again and you are here.

“So, I admonish you to do what is right and don’t put us into shame for releasing you. Go and say bye-bye to prison,” she said.