By Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA — The Anambra State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Tochukwu Nweke, SAN, has explained that native doctor Chidozie Nwangwu, popularly known as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, was released before completing his prison sentence because he had entered into a plea bargain with the state government.
Nwangwu, who was serving an 11-month prison sentence following the plea bargain, was released last week by Governor Chukwuma Soludo and subsequently appointed youth ambassador for the state.
Explaining the circumstances surrounding his early release, Nweke said the plea bargain, his remorse and the short period remaining on his sentence provided grounds for the governor to exercise his prerogative of mercy.
The Attorney-General said the early release was a benefit that flowed indirectly from the plea bargain arrangement and encouraged persons facing trial to consider plea bargaining where they were satisfied that they were guilty of the offences for which they were charged.
He said, “Based on the plea bargain between Akwa Okuko and the state government, he was given a lesser sentence by the court.
“The remorse shown by him, the short length of his remaining sentence, among others, presented an opportunity for the Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to consider him worthy of prerogative of mercy.
“The governor granted him early release from the Correctional Centre by remitting the remaining unserved portion of his term of imprisonment to also enable him to immediately join the state on the campaign on youth reformation and re-orientation as agreed under the plea bargain agreement.”
Nweke explained that plea bargaining could result in reduced sentences or non-custodial sentences for convicted persons, depending on the circumstances of each case.
He said the process could also provide for restitution or compensation to victims of offences.
According to him, the plea bargain arrangement in Nwangwu’s case indirectly paved the way for the governor’s decision to exercise his prerogative of mercy.
The commissioner said the Soludo administration was committed to decongesting correctional centres in the state by promoting plea bargaining as a tool for keeping more people out of custodial facilities.
He disclosed that about 150 applications had been received by the Ministry of Justice since it launched a campaign on plea bargaining two months ago.
Nweke said the applications were being considered, adding that the initiative was aimed at expanding the use of plea bargaining within the state’s justice system.
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