A 40-year-old man, Uche Nnoli, has regained his freedom after being detained for seven years without trial at the Onitsha Correctional Centre, Anambra State.
Nnoli, who is from Nteje in Oyi Local Government Area, was initially incarcerated due to a community crisis.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that during his prolonged detention, Nnoli was transferred to the Ogwashi Ukwu Correctional Centre in Delta State before being returned to Onitsha, where he was ultimately released due to the intervention of the Human Rights Protection Service, an organisation based in Naples, USA.
It was further gathered that the plight of Nnoli came to the attention of the Human Rights Protection Service when his wife and mother appealed to the organisation, lamenting his unjust and prolonged detention without trial.
The Anambra State chapter of the organisation, led by Prince Chinedu Ekwunife, took up the case and provided free legal services to secure his release.
Ekwunife, speaking to journalists at the time of Nnoli’s release, said, “We made a lot of impact and went to Onitsha Correctional Centre and it happened that he had been transferred to Ogwashi Ukwu Correctional Centre in Delta State which did not fall within the jurisdiction of the matter.
“ With the help of our legal team, he was returned back to Onitsha Correctional Centre and the matter was charged to Otuocha High Court 2 and the Presiding Judge, Justice Okey Onunkwu, after examining the case, struck it out and released him.”
Nnoli has since rejoined his family, with the Human Rights Protection Service commending the judiciary for upholding the rights of the common man.
“This shows that the rights of a common man remain protected under the law,” Ekwunife remarked.
Despite the joyous outcome, Ekwunife criticised the condition of the correctional facilities in Anambra State, highlighting the urgent need for improvements.
“Anambra State Correctional Centres are nothing good to write home about because the facilities need to be maintained and the decaying ones renovated.
“The medical services and facilities there are almost non-existent,” he lamented.
“We have been relying on our individual contributions as like minds as well as public-spirited individuals to help us achieve these programmes,” Ekwunife added.
Efforts to get comments from officials of the correctional centre were unsuccessful, as they declined to speak to journalists, citing a lack of authorization.
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