Dear Delta State Justice System,
- The Young Nigerian Rights Organization write to earnestly request that immediate steps be taken toward prison decongestion. The Delta State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2022 recognizes that the existing model should shift “from punitive to reformative,” granting judges and magistrates the discretion to impose non-custodial measures in appropriate cases.
Such alternative sentencing options are vital in ensuring that minor offenders are not needlessly detained. The Law empowers courts to utilize community service, which “reduce[s] congestion in prisons,” helps rehabilitate prisoners, and prevents “convicts who commit simple offences from mixing with hardened criminals”
Moreover, the Law endorses the power of Prerogative of Mercy, also referred to as clemency, state pardon, or amnesty as “a useful tool in the administration of criminal justice” to decongest custodial centres
Therefore, we urge your office to:
- Activate non-custodial sentencing mechanisms, especially for minor and first-time offenders through community service or probation.
- Expedite the application of the Prerogative of Mercy, granting amnesty or pardon where due, to relieve overcrowded custodial facilities.
These steps align with the Law’s intention to foster efficiency, fairness, and rehabilitation within the criminal justice system and will help in restoring justice and humanity to our penal system.
Respectfully submitted.
Comrade Victor Ojei popularly called Wong Box Nigeria Lead Activist for the Young Nigerian Rights Organization. WhatsApp us via 08038785262
