Plateau State Govt Implements Technology to Address Prosecution Delays and Reduce Case Losses

By Rotmwa Kassam Paulina

To strengthen criminal justice and reduce case losses, the Plateau State Government has provided 28 TECHNO SPARK 40 Android phones to the Plateau State Command of the Nigerian Police Force.

This initiative responds to concerns about investigative and prosecutorial challenges that have resulted in the dismissal of strong criminal cases due to procedural lapses.

Presenting the gadgets at a brief ceremony in Jos, the Governor of Plateau State, Barr. Caleb Mutfwang represented by the Plateau State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Philemon Daffi, emphasized the urgent need for 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, confessional statements must be made in writing in the presence of a legal practitioner.

The State Attorney General said, “We’ve seen very good cases crumble simply because the confessional statements were not properly recorded.”

He stated that the Supreme Court had made it clear that personal phones can not be used for this purpose, hence the need to act fast, which was why the state government is equipping “every police division with a dedicated Android phone strictly for recording such statements in line with the law.”

Barr. Daffi cited the 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, he said, was based on Section 15(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, and was a wake-up call for law enforcement agencies across the country.

Daffi stressed that the law is not discretionary but mandatory, urging that transparency, fairness, and the protection of suspects’ rights must be ensured for credible convictions and prison decongestion.

He also disclosed that the intervention was particularly significant given the rising public criticism over delays in trials and claims that suspects were often transferred out of the state under unclear circumstances.

With overburdened prisons and a growing number of awaiting-trial cases, the AG said this move would accelerate legal proceedings and restore public trust in the system.

Responding, Plateau State Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Adesina, thanked the governor and the Attorney-General for the gadgets and assured full implementation across all divisions, describing it as “timely and highly valuable support.”

CP Adesina said, “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.”

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