Stakeholders Harp on Community Service Law for Effective Non Custodian Punishment in Southwest
Stakeholders in community service sentencing have advocated the institution of community service law across the southwestern states for effective adoption of the scheme as alternative punishment for minor offences
The stakeholders in an interface with magistrates and presidents of Grade A court on Community sentencing in Oyo state at a meeting organised by the Justice Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, Ibadan on the applicability of community service as an alternative punishment for minor offences stated that the law would guide the judge in the pronouncement of punishments and the modalities for offenders service
Deputy Chief Registrar, Oyo state judiciary, Mrs Olumide Ogunrin who disclosed that the state had secured community service sentencing for 1389 minor offenders since the introduction of the scheme in 2017 said it had reduced the rate of repeat offenders
On her part, Deputy chief Registrar (Legal) Lagos Mrs Joy Ugbomoiko recommended community service sentencing as alternative to plead bargain option for high profile financial crime
Earlier in her address of welcome, the Chief of Staff, JDPC , Ibadan , Mrs Adenike Ibitara said the focus was to ensure all state key into the scheme to decongest the custodian centres and forestall the cases of repeat offenders 
The meeting had in attendance, jurists and lawyers, non governmental organisations, personnel of the Nigerian Correctional Service,NCoS across states of the southwest
