Ebonyi governor gets accolades over release of woman jailed for stealing N400 cocoyam

David Umahi of Ebonyi State.

A human rights group, Committee for Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) Ebonyi State chapter, has applauded the state Governor, Dave Umahi for effecting the release a woman accused of stealing cocoyam worth N400.

The woman and her children had been in Abakaliki Prisons for months following her inability to fulfill the bail conditions given to her by the court.

The woman’s case was brought to the knowledge of the governor by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) when he visited Abakaliki Prisons to investigate a jail break by the inmates.

The commission briefed Umahi on the woman’s conditions and he immediately ordered her release.In a statement by CDHR yesterday signed by its Chairman, Emeka Anosike CDHR said the governor’s action portrayed him as a lover of human rights.

‘’The governor has shown that he is a human rights activist and we commend him for his benevolence in directing the release of the indigent woman. There are many similar cases in the prisons today. We are appealing to him to also look into their plights

‘’We also appeal to him to further direct the Committee for Prerogative of Mercy in the state to look at the cases of prison inmates, who are mentally-deranged,” the statement read.