There was a mild drama and confusion at a high court in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on Thursday as a convicted inmate was rejected by officials of Nigeria Correctional Center due to COVID-19 related issues.
A midle-age lady, Mercy Elder, was convicted for impersonating the Department of State Services and obtaining money from the public through false pretence.
She was accordingly sentenced to seven years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
However, officials of the correction center in Yola rejected her.
An officer attached to the Yola Correctional Center, who doesn’t want to be named, told our correspondent that they wouldn’t admit any more inmates not certified to be Coronavirus free.
He said, “The state COVID-19 Containment Committee should be held response for this mess.”
However, spokesperson for Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Humwashi Wonosikou, rejected the claim, saying, “Both the DSS and Nigeria Correction Center are federal agencies, how possible is it for either of them to have blamed the state government for their own failure?”
The convict was arrested eight months ago after she was reported to have defrauded some unsuspecting persons on the grounds that she was a director with the DSS detailed to investigate them.
She obtained monies through false pretence, claiming to help her victims evade justice.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Nathan Musa sentenced her to seven years imprisonment without the option of a fine.
The woman has not been admitted to any correctional center as the DSS has also refused to take her into custody.
