In a bid to decongest the prisons and reform the administration of justice, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on Wednesday inaugurated the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

The Governor, at the event which held at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s office, Ado-Ekiti, expressed concern that the number of Awaiting Trial Inmates (ATI) keeps increasing in the Ado-Ekiti Prison, while the number of convicted inmates keeps decreasing.

Speaking shortly after inaugurating the council which is chaired by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Wale Fapohunda, Governor Fayemi noted that many of the prison inmates have shown remorse and deserve a review of their punishment.

Members of the council are the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Dayo Apata; the Commissioner of Police in charge of the state command, Mr. Sotonye Wakama; the State Controller of Prisons, Mr. Tajudeen Aremu and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Adeniyi Familoni.

Others are the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, the State Missioner of the Ansar-ud-Deen Society, Alhaji Liadi Adebayo and Mrs. Adebimpe Ayodele who is the secretary of the council.

The Governor derives his power to exercise the prerogative of mercy from Section 212 of the 1999 Constitution.

He had earlier signed the State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy Bill into Law on December 31 last year.

Dr. Fayemi revealed that he had raised the issue of increasing number of awaiting trial inmates in the prisons at the State Security Council meetings noting that something has to be done to nip the trend in the bud.

The Governor pointed out that although he is constitutionally empowered to grant pardon to repentant prisoners, such powers has to be exercised in consultation with the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy.

He explained that his administration has been circumspect and deliberate in the choice of members whom he described as “rare breed individuals who represent the collective conscience of the people”.

The Governor expressed optimism that the council members would live up to the confidence reposed in them and carry out the assignment with all sense of responsibility.

The council chair, Mr. Fapohunda, assured that the body will work in accordance with the principles of the eight-point agenda of the Fayemi administration.

He promised that the council will fulfill the mandate to reform the justice administration system.

Fapohunda also presented a memorandum to include the representatives of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on the council.