Lagos residents detained in police cells can now heave a sigh of relief as the State Attorney General, Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN on Monday dispatched government lawyers in the Directorate of Public Prosecutions(DPP) to visit police cells across the state with a view to releasing detainees whose cases did not fall within criminal trials.
Thegavel.com.ng reports that many accused persons are being held in police cells as their cases could not be taken to court due to the eight weeks old strike of judiciary workers under the auspices of JUSUN which has led to the closure of all courts across the country.
In a release signed by Kayode Oyekanmi, Director of Public Afairs, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, State Counsels working at DPP office were mobilized by the Attorney General to cushion the effects of the protracted JUSUN strike and decongesting Police cells of suspects held in custody due to the lockdown of the Courts.
He said: “All Counsel in the directorate were mobilized to Police Divisions in the State to carry out the work of District Prosecutors by sifting through IPOs files for matters which do fall within the purview of Criminal trials.
As such, all matters not Criminal in nature were declined and the Police advised to release such suspects in their custody”.
Speaking, during a visit to one of the Police divisions, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs Yinka Adeyemi commended the Police for their cooperation and support for this proactive initiative.
Mrs Adeyemi said the directorate will continue with this exercise in all Police divisions untill the JUSUN strike is called off and Courts resume full operation.
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