Woman secures release of 20 prison inmates in Edo

Edo Lawmaker donates educational materials, others to constituents
A Philanthropist and wife of the Iyase (Prime Minister) of Benin kingdom, Madam Vero Igbe, has paid the fines of 20 inmates at the Benin and Oko prisons in Edo State who were remanded and unable to pay their fines ranging from #50,000 to #100,000.

Among those who benefited for the largesse include, a nursing mother and 35-year-old father of three. The nursing mother who hails from Enugu State and identified as Miss Ngozi Owoh, was said to be pregnant when she was convicted in April 2017. Owoh reportedly delivered a baby boy while serving her jail term in August.

The nursing mother said she was convicted for assaulting a neighbour, who fell into coma. On his part, the father of three who identified herself as Iyobo Paul, 35, said he was convicted for assaulting a traffic policewoman adding that his wife was pregnant at the time.

The inmates were convicted for offences bordering on theft, assault, breaking and entering.

Igbe said the gesture was her birthday gift to the inmates with option of fines.

According to her, “I don’t like celebrating birthday. I usually go to orphanage and celebrate with the needy in the society.

“On the occasion of my Birthday this year, I choose to visit the Benin prison instead of organising big parties and I am fulfilled with what I have done, which has put smiles to the faces of the downtrodden” she said.

Earlier, Edo State Controller of Prisons, Mr. Amadi Osayande described the gesture as unprecedented “since the history of Benin Prisons.”

According to him, the move has also help to decongest the prison. He said the freed inmates have been “trained and can now live a normal life.”

Meanwhile, member representing Etsako Central Constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), Damian Lawani, has commissioned a fully Equipped Maternity and donated same to its constituent to improve their living/health conditions.

Lawani, said the gesture was part of his stewardship as well as to put smiles in the faces of the people of Etsako Central Constituency and Edo state in general.

The lawmaker who disclosed that all projects embarked upon cut across most of the forgotten wards and villages said the style adopted by him was to start from the unreached to the reached and promised to cover the remaining zones within the next year.