Governor Mutfwang Moves to End Prosecution Setbacks, Equips Police With Tech to Curb Case Losses

 By Rotmwa Kassam Paulina 

In a major step towards strengthening criminal justice and curbing the loss of prosecutable cases, the Plateau State Government has presented 28 Tecno Spark 40 Android phones to the Nigerian Police Force, Plateau State Command. 

This move comes in response to growing concerns over investigational and prosecutorial challenges that have led to the dismissal of strong criminal cases due to procedural lapses.

During the presentation ceremony held in Jos, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, Esq., represented by the State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Philemon Daffi, Esq., emphasized the urgency of compliance with Section 38(2) of the Nigerian Administration of Criminal Justice Law, which mandates that confessional statements must be video recorded or, in the absence of such technology, must be made in writing in the presence of a legal practitioner. 

The AG revealed that several solid cases have been lost in court because these procedures were not followed. "We’ve seen very good cases crumble simply because the confessional statements were not properly recorded,” the AG lamented.

He noted that the Supreme Court has made it clear that personal phones can not be used for this purpose. "We needed to act fast, which is why we’re equipping every police division with a dedicated android phone strictly for recording such statements in line with the law."

The AG cited the landmark case of FRN v. Akazie, where the Supreme Court ruled that confessional statements must be video recorded with officially sanctioned devices, not personal mobile phones. The judgment, based on Section 15(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, was a wake-up call for law enforcement agencies across the country.

Daffi stressed that the law is not discretionary but, rather, it is mandatory, and that transparency, fairness, and the protection of suspects’ rights must be ensured for credible convictions and to decongest the prisons.

The Commissioner disclosed that the intervention is particularly significant given rising public criticism over delays in trials and claims that suspects are often transferred out of state under unclear circumstances. 

With overburdened prisons and a growing number of awaiting-trial cases, the government says this reform will accelerate legal proceedings and restore public trust in the system.

In his response, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Emmanuel Adesina expressed appreciation to the Governor of Plateau State and the Attorney-General, pledging full implementation across all divisions, as, according to him, this is a timely and highly valuable support.

"I will personally ensure these devices are distributed to all divisions with strict directives on proper usage. This will undoubtedly improve our effectiveness in bringing criminals to justice," said the CP.