Kogi State Acting Chief Judge Justice Josiah Joe Majebi has ordered police prosecuting officer to examine the mental state of an inmate at Okene Correctional Center, Mustapha Shaibu who was alleged to have killed his mother and brother.

Justice Majebi gave the order when he visited the Correctional Center as part of his ongoing decongestion of Correctional facilities across the State.

He said the medical examination became necessary to ascertain his re mental health to assist in taking final decision on his case pending before the Court.

Tagged as “vulnerable inmate,” Shaibu was admitted to the Correctional Centre on the 29th of March, 2021 charged with culpable homicide at Obangede Magistrate Court remains moody when he was paraded before the Chief Judge.

In a mild drama at the Center, an inmate and a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Federal University of Technology, Minna, Mark Audu who was on remand for smoking cannabis pleaded for liniency saying smoking weeds relief him of emotional pains.

According to him, ” Am always missing my father, so when I smoke weeds it makes to sleep fully” he responded to a question by the Acting Chief Judge on reason why he smokes weed.

Audu who was admitted into the facility on 19th September, 2022 was charged with intimidation, mischief and theft at Obangede Magistrate Court, at Ihima pleaded for pardon promising not to smoke again.

Shedding more light on Audu, an officer of the Correctional Center said the inmate awaiting trial was brought to the facility by the mother ovee report of his nuisance behavior occasioned by smoking of weed and threat to the lives people in the environment.

The Acting CJ ordered accelerated hearing on his case as well as urged operatives of the Centre to liase with the mother for a better solution to his addiction of hemp smoking.

Meanwhile, Justice Majebi released one Yusuf Usman charged with theft and intimidation on bail and his case transferred to Chief Magistrate Court, Okene while that of sixteen years old Yahaya Salawu of the same offence bwas transferred to Family Court for further hearing.

In his remarks, the Acting Chief Judge said the essence of the exercise is to review cases of unlawful detention and inmates who have overshot the punishment meant for alleged offense committed.

Earlier, Kogi State Controller of Correctional Centers, David Igbago commended the Acting CJ and his team for the ongoing exercise across facilities in the State and appealed for logistics assistance to convey inmates to Court as at when due.

Okene Prison has 160 capacity, but presently having 71 inmates; 48 males, one female convicts and 20 males and two females on awaiting trial.

Highlights of the visit was the inspection of inmates who engages in frying of garri for consumption.