By Suzy Chukwuechedom l Anambra
The Anambra State Government has clarified the circumstances surrounding the early release of inmate Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuko Tiwaraki.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the State, Mr. Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, said the release was the outcome of plea bargain proceedings, followed by the exercise of the Governor’s prerogative of mercy.
Speaking to journalists in Awka, Nweke said Nwangwu’s case should serve as a model for other inmates awaiting trial in the state who are convinced of their culpability.
He explained that the remorse shown by the convict, in addition to the short period left on his sentence, made him a suitable candidate for executive clemency. Consequently, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, approved the remission of the unserved portion of his jail term and ordered his release from the correctional centre.
”The plea bargain indirectly paved the way for the prerogative of mercy, which we describe as a remote benefit of the plea bargain arrangement,” the Attorney-General stated.
Nweke noted that under the plea bargain framework, convicts could either earn non-custodial sentences or enjoy substantial reduction in prison terms, subject to restitution or compensation to victims.
He added that as part of the agreement, Nwangwu would immediately join the state government’s campaign on youth reformation and re-orientation.
”As agreed under the plea bargain agreement, the early release of Akwa Okuko enables him to immediately join the state on the campaign on youth reformation and re-orientation,” he said.
The Attorney-General stressed that the Soludo administration was committed to decongesting correctional facilities across the state and had adopted plea bargain as a strategic tool to curb prolonged pre-trial detention and overcrowding.
According to him, the Ministry of Justice’s public sensitization campaign on plea bargain, launched two months ago, has already generated about 150 applications currently being reviewed by his office.
The development comes amid growing national concerns over prison congestion and delayed justice delivery, with plea bargain increasingly being deployed nationwide to enhance judicial efficiency and promote offender rehabilitation.
PLEA BARGAIN: Prerogative of Mercy Secured Early Release of Akwa Okuko – Anambra AG
Princely Onyenwe
A seasoned Investigative Journalist,
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