Bolanle Akanji
Moderator
An FCT Chief Magistrates' Court in Karu on Wednesday struck out a case of lurking, house trespass and being part of a gang of thieves filed by the police against 30 persons.
The presiding chief magistrate, Hadiza Shagari, who discharged the accused persons, based her decision on the prosecutor's inability to appear in court to prove his case.
``The 30 accused persons were first arraigned before this court on Nov. 11 and the matter was adjourned to today for the police to present their witnesses. The police prosecutor in this matter is not in court and no message by him before me to show why he was not in court.
``I assumed the prosecutor is not ready to continue with this case. The matter is hereby struck out and the First Information Report (FIR) terminated. The accused persons should not be rearrested in relation to this case again and I am urging you all never to be seen close to that building again.
``If you do not have anything doing in Abuja, it is better you pack your luggage back to your villages for good to avoid re-arrest for the same offences,” she ruled.
She also ordered that the properties seized by the police from some of the accused persons should be released to them with immediate effect.
The 30 accused people were arrested on Nov. 15, in an uncompleted building at NEPA Office Quarters, Kado and Mabushi, Abuja according to information received by the Commissioner of Police in FCT.
The presiding chief magistrate, Hadiza Shagari, who discharged the accused persons, based her decision on the prosecutor's inability to appear in court to prove his case.
``The 30 accused persons were first arraigned before this court on Nov. 11 and the matter was adjourned to today for the police to present their witnesses. The police prosecutor in this matter is not in court and no message by him before me to show why he was not in court.
``I assumed the prosecutor is not ready to continue with this case. The matter is hereby struck out and the First Information Report (FIR) terminated. The accused persons should not be rearrested in relation to this case again and I am urging you all never to be seen close to that building again.
``If you do not have anything doing in Abuja, it is better you pack your luggage back to your villages for good to avoid re-arrest for the same offences,” she ruled.
She also ordered that the properties seized by the police from some of the accused persons should be released to them with immediate effect.
The 30 accused people were arrested on Nov. 15, in an uncompleted building at NEPA Office Quarters, Kado and Mabushi, Abuja according to information received by the Commissioner of Police in FCT.
