The Federal Government has secured the conviction of 653 people charged with terrorism offences in the ongoing mass trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, disclosed this on Friday while speaking with journalists after attending some of the court proceedings, Naija News reports.
Fagbemi said about 880 cases had been determined since the latest phase of the trial began, with seven suspects acquitted and 27 others discharged.
He, however, noted that the exercise was still ongoing and that the final figures would be made available after its conclusion.
“We are not through with the trial, but as at 12:15pm today, we had about 880 tried. Of the 880, 653 have been convicted, seven acquitted and 27 discharged,” the minister said.
He added that the final figures would be announced after the exercise ended the following day.
Fagbemi described the ongoing exercise as one of the largest mass trials since the process began, attributing its progress to the support and guidance of the judges handling the cases.
“And if you also observe, this appears to be the largest since we started; and this is due to the cooperation and guidance we received from my lord and the judges who sat,” he said.
The AGF commended the judiciary, prosecution lawyers, and defence counsel for ensuring the proceedings went smoothly.
He also acknowledged the contributions of relevant government agencies and other stakeholders involved in the trial.
Meanwhile, Fagbemi rejected the claims suggesting that journalists had been barred from covering the proceedings.
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