The Chief Judge of Plateau , Justice Yakubu Dakwak, on Monday discharged 50 awaiting trial inmates who had been in custody at the Jos Correctional Centre over different minor offences.
Dakwak said that the release of the suspects was in line with the decision of the Federal Government to decongest the custodial centres in the country, as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the country.
The Chief Judge, however, said that those standing trial over alleged violent offences like murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, and rape did not benefit from the reprieve.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that those discharged committed minor offences such as: theft, breach of trust and inciting public disturbance.
NAN reports that the suspects had been on remand for many months with some spending over a year in jail without going on trial.
The Chief Judge while discharging the suspects, however, said they were discharged of the offences but not acquitted.
“I want to tell all of you that you have been discharged but not acquitted.
“If you go out there and commit another crime, you will come back here and we will reopen this case and still try you for the new one you committed.
“We expect you to be of good behaviour and take this as a chance to turn a new leaf and shun crime,” he said.