An 18-year-old mother, Miss Beauty Obi, has been granted bail at the Warri Custodial Centre (Okere Prison) in Delta State, Nigeria. The Chief Judge of Delta State, Hon Justice Tessy Diai, showed compassion towards her situation, considering she had given birth to a baby through a caesarian section. The deputy controller of the center, Mr. Edo Lucky, appealed to the Chief Judge on her behalf, highlighting the teenage mother’s plight.
Beauty and her boyfriend were admitted to the center while she was pregnant. She gave birth to her baby at the Warri Central Hospital through a caesarian section, and the child spent a week in an incubator before being reunited with the mother in custody. The prison authority incurred expenses of ₦1,000 per hour for the incubator, prompting the appeal for bail to enable her to receive proper care from her parents.
Justice Diai granted bail to Miss Beauty Obi with conditions, including a bail sum of ₦250,000 and one surety residing within the jurisdiction of the trial court. The surety must provide an affidavit of means and a national identity card with a National Identification Number (NIN). The Chief Judge also provided financial assistance of ₦20,000 to Miss Beauty Obi.
Miss Beauty Obi narrated that she and her boyfriend were arrested by the police when he was attempting to sell a stolen phone. She claimed to be innocent of the armed robbery charge against her and expressed gratitude to the Chief Judge for the financial assistance.
During the visit, the Chief Judge reviewed 539 warrants of inmates and discharged five individuals based on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who found that they had no case to answer. The discharged individuals were Lofore Difference, Innocent Okpaghe, Umukoro Kingsley, and Chenago Wisdom, who were charged with offenses such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and murder.
The Chief Judge commended the efforts of the Judge of High Court 4 for expediting criminal cases, with some ready for judgment. Mr. Edo Lucky, in his welcome address, informed the Chief Judge that as of June 26, 2023, the Warri Custodial Centre housed 1,001 inmates, including convicts and those awaiting trial. The visit of the Chief Judge was expected to lead to the release of deserving inmates.
