Tag Archives: Frees

Lagos CJ Frees 20 Inmates

Posted on by
1
The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Oluwafunmilayo Atilade, on Tuesday granted amnesty to 20 inmates at the Ikoyi Prisons in Lagos.
 
The CJ freed the inmates during her visit to the prison as part of the activities marking the commencement of the 2016/2017 legal year.
 
The 20 freed inmates had been in custody, awaiting trial for between a period of nine months and four years.
 
Atilade said the amnesty granted the inmates was in fulfillment of her determination to decongest prisons in the state, which she noted were populated majorly by awaiting-trial inmates.
 
She said the gesture was in exercise of the power conferred on her by the Criminal Justice (Release from Custody) (Special Provisions) Act, Cap C40 2004 Laws of the Federation, adding that it would give the freed inmates another opportunity to get their lives back on track.
“A renowned English jurist, William Blackstone, in his seminal work titled, ‘Commentaries on the Laws of England,’ published in the 1760s, once said it is better for 10 guilty persons to go scot-free than for one innocent person to suffer being punished unjustly,” the CJ said.
 
She noted that since she assumed office in 2014, she had freed a total of 288 awaiting-trial inmates from prisons across the state, saying it was a demonstration of her commitment to decongest the prisons.
 

ISIS Frees Hundreds Of Abducted Civilians In North Syria

Posted on by
Reply

The Islamic State group has freed hundreds of civilians used by the jihadists as human shields while retreating in northern Syrian, US-backed forces and a monitor said Saturday.

A source from the Syrian Democratic Forces, which pushed IS from the city of Manbij this week with the aid of US-led air strikes, told AFP that some civilians taken by the jihadists as they fled were able to escape while “others were freed”.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor confirmed the account.

Credit: AFP

Army Frees 275 Suspected Terrorists

Posted on by
Reply

The Nigerian Army has released 275 persons detained following suspicion of being involved in terrorist activities.

Forty-nine out of the detainees are women while 22 are minors. Two Nigeriens and two Cameroonians are also among those released.

Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Hassan Umaru, handed over the detainees not found culpable to the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, in a ceremony at the 7th Division Headquarters Maimalari Barracks.

“In line with the principles of equity, justice and fairness, we deem it fit to release them to their families.

“Their stay in detention has not been palatable due to restrictions imposed and loss of freedom. We see it as their contribution and sacrifice to the return of peace to our country,” he said

Governor Kashim Shettima noted that vindicating the detainees is a testimony to the professionalism of the Nigerian Army.

He urged the freed suspects to be worthy ambassadors of the fight against terrorism and insurgency.

The suspects were picked from various spots within and outside Maiduguri in different raids six months ago.

The former Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah, had in July 2015 released 182 suspects. 128 others were released in September 2015.

A total of 582 persons have so far been released from military detention facilities under the operation.

Credit: ChannelsTv

Nigerian Military Frees 128 Detainees In Borno

Posted on by
29

The Nigerian Army on Wednesday released 128 detainees after certifying that they had no link with the Boko Haram terrorists group in Borno.

The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, handed over the detainees to Governor Kashim Shettima at a ceremony in Maiduguri.

He said the detainees included 109 men, seven women, 11 boys and one unattached teenager. He said they were arrested at different parts of the state by the military in its anti-terrorism campaign.

Mr. Buratai said after thorough screening by a team of military intelligence officers, the police and the Department of State Security Service, the suspects were found to be clean and were released.

“The task of Operation Lafiya Dole can be seen in three terms – to defeat the insurgents, to facilitate humanitarian activities and observe human right and restore the administrative functions in the liberated area.

“We are here to formally hand over those arrested in the process of our operations; we are pleased to hand over the 128 suspects that have been cleared by the joint intelligent core, which comprised the Army, the police and DSS,” he said.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Cameroon Frees Lagos Based Journalist

Posted on by
277

Cameroonian authorities on Tuesday freed a Lagos-based Cameroonian journalist, Simon Ateba, after detaining him for four days in the country’s far north region.

In a statement issued in Cameroon on Tuesday, the journalists union in the country said President Paul Biya himself ordered Mr. Ateba’s release.

Mr. Ateba was arrested by the country’s security while investigating the conditions of Nigerian refugees camped in the country’s far north.

Read More: premiumtimesng

ISIS Frees 22 Assyrian Christians In NE Syria

Posted on by
1

The Islamic State group released 22 Assyrian Christians that it had abducted in northeastern Syria almost six months ago, activist groups said.

 They were among more than 200 members of the Christian minority who were kidnapped by IS in February as it swept through the Khabur region in the northeastern Hasakeh province.

The Assyrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the fate of the minority, said the 22 hostages included 14 women.

It published photographs of the former hostages, showing several elderly women weeping as they were greeted by a priest.

The release was “the result of the tireless efforts and negotiations by the Assyrian Church of the East in the city of Hasakeh,” the group said.

A second group, the Assyrian Network for Human Rights, also reported the release, saying those freed were from two villages in Khabur, Tal Shamiram and Tal Jazira.

Director Osama Edward said negotiations were ongoing to secure the release of the additional 187 hostages being held by IS.

“There is a positive atmosphere around the negotiation,” he told AFP, adding that no additional releases could be confirmed yet.

Assyrians numbered about 30,000 among Syria’s 1.2 million Christians before the country’s conflict began. They lived mostly in 35 villages in Hasakeh.

Read More: AFP

Ethiopia Frees 5 Bloggers, Journalists Ahead Of Obama’s Visit

Posted on by
3

Five bloggers and journalists held in Ethiopia for more than a year have been freed after the charges were dropped, their lawyer said Thursday, weeks before US President Barack Obama is due to visit the country.

In a separate case, journalist Reeyot Alemu, jailed in June 2011 after being found guilty of plotting a terrorist act, was released on Thursday, campaigners said.

Four others also arrested in April 2014 remain in jail, accused of planning attacks and collaborating with US-based opposition group Ginbot 7, labelled a terrorist organisation by Ethiopian authorities.

“They have suffered, their rights have been violated, but now we are happy,” defence lawyer Ameha Mekonnen told AFP after the five journalists and bloggers were released on Wednesday.

Ameha said the decision to drop the charges was unexpected.

“We are all surprised. The question is why did it take more than one year? We’ve been crying, shouting to the court, to the government,” he said.

The trial of the four remaining bloggers is due to resume on July 20.

Rights activists welcomed the releases but said more needed to be done.

“It’s very good news that six journalists and bloggers have been released, though they shouldn’t have been imprisoned in the first place,” said Leslie Lefkow, deputy director for Africa at Human Rights Watch.

“The government should show this is only a first step toward releasing all political prisoners and opening up space for Ethiopians to voice dissent on a range of issues.”

Tom Rhodes from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called the release, “a welcome turn of events in Ethiopia, where the number of journalists in prison has steadily increased in recent years”.

“We call on authorities to release the remaining Zone 9 bloggers and all the journalists in jail for their work, and to drop all charges against them,” Rhodes said in a statement Thursday.

Reeyot Alemu, who won a UN press freedom prize in 2013, was originally sentenced to 14 years, reduced to five years on appeal.

Credit: AFP

Court Frees Former Bank PHB Boss, Atuche, Others; Dismisses N25 Billion Fraud Case

Posted on by
Reply

A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has struck out a N25.7 billion criminal charge brought against Francis Atuche, a former Managing Director of the now defunct Bank PHB.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had instituted a 27-count charge including stealing and conspiracy against Mr. Atuche; his wife, Elizabeth; and the bank’s Chief Financial Officer, Ugo Anyanwu.

In his ruling, Judge Lateef Lawal-Akapo said the EFCC failed to prove that the defendants stole money from the bank.

Credit: premiumtimesng