The Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Bar Association were among stakeholders that shunned the ongoing public hearing on the Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, 2015, in Port Harcourt.
The event was organised by the Rivers State House of Assembly to amend the bill.
Also absent from the occasion were the International Federation of Female Lawyers and the Dean, Faculty of Law in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
The Chairman on the occasion and Deputy Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Loolo Dinebari, expressed regret at the inability of some of the major stakeholders to be present on the occasion.
Dinebari explained that though invitation was extended to the stakeholders, it was disappointing that the invitees shunned the public hearing.
Making his contribution, the Attorney-General of the state and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Emma Aguma (SAN), advised that plea bargain should not be applicable in kidnap and s3xual abuse offences.
Aguma, who was represented by the Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Ibikiri Otorubio, stated refusal to grant plea bargain in the above offences would serve the common good.
He also cautioned against plea bargain in murder cases, pointing out that in situations involving relatives, it could be allowed to save the family from losing more tha one relative.
“Outside this, plea bargain should not be entertained,” he stated.