The Plateau State Government has announced the beginning of prosecution of over 300 suspected persons who were arraigned on grounds of looting, criminal trespass, and arson among other charges in the state.
This was revealed yesterday as the suspects, who had been in detention after being arrested in different parts of Jos and the Bukuru metropolis between Saturday and Sunday, were transferred to the Bassa Local Government Area for arraignment.
The prosecution, which took place at Jebbu Bassa Area Court, was coordinated by different judges including; Justices N S Dashe, Adar Roseline Baraje, L B Longs and Lawal Sulaiman among others.
Amid the prosecution process, the prosecutors from the State Ministry of Justice urged the court to prosecute the offenders who had committed offences against the state in accordance to the law.
However, the defence counsels, having considered the accused as first time offenders pleaded with the court to be lenient in the discharge of their judgment.
The defence counsels pleaded for a short sentencing with an option of fine for the guilty ones.
The judges, after much deliberation, consented to the submissions from both parties by sentencing the accused to three months in prison with an option of N10, 000 fine.
Some of the suspects were freed after concluding their bail conditions.
Photo Credit: TVCnews