The Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Tessy Diai, has concluded the final quarterly jail delivery exercise for 2025, reviewing a total of 1,190 awaiting trial cases across the state’s custodial facilities and remand home.
At the Warri Custodial Centre, 313 cases reviewed; no releases, no bail granted. At the Sapele Custodial Centre: 147 cases reviewed; no releases, no bail granted. Similarly at the Remand Home, Sapele, 4 cases reviewed; no releases, no bail granted, while at the Kwale and Agbor Custodial Centres, 191 cases and 153 cases reviewed respectively with none released and none granted bail. The visit which ended at the Ogwashi‑Uku Custodial Centre had 382 cases reviewed; 5 persons released on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), having no case to answer. No bail granted.
Justice Diai reiterated that the jail delivery exercise is designed to safeguard legality in detention, promote fairness and timely trial and prevent unlawful or prolonged incarceration without charge
She cautioned magistrates against indiscriminate releases, urging instead strict adherence to prosecutorial diligence and avoidance of unnecessary delays.
“We don’t want a situation where individuals are detained without a charge or held longer than they should. I encourage magistrates to be firm in prosecution and ensure no time is wasted,” she stated.
The Chief Judge further directed custodial centre officials to intensify efforts in producing inmates in court as scheduled, stressing that timely production is essential to accelerating trials and decongesting facilities.
