CHIEF OBADE OJE VS THE STATE
August 16, 2025JOHN EDEBRU VS THE STATE
August 16, 2025Legalpedia Citation: (1972) Legalpedia (SC) 12109
In the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Fri Nov 17, 1972
Suit Number: SC. 55/72
CORAM
ELIAS CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA
FATAYI-WILLIAMS JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
IRIKERE A.G.JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
PARTIES
AKPAN AKPAN OBOT APPELLANTS
RESPONDENTS
AREA(S) OF LAW
SUMMARY OF FACTS
The appellant was convicted by the trial court based on strong circumstantial evidence for the murder of Mfon Ufot Udo Ikpah and sentenced to death. One of the exhibits relied on at the trial was the singlet of the accused covered with blood found at the scene of the crime, though the accuse claim to be the owner in the confessional statement made to the police but later denied this during trial. His ground of appeal was that he was insane at the time he committed the offence.
HELD
The court held that, the evidence adduced at the trial strongly link the accused with the commission of the offence charged, and there was no evidence to the contrary to the effect that the accused was insane at the time of the commission of the offence, the conviction and sentence for murder was upheld in the circumstance.
ISSUES
None
RATIONES DECIDENDI
CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
Where the circumstantial evidence is pointing in all direction that the accused and no other person killed the deceased, the conviction of the accused will be right in the circumstance. PER ELIAS CJN
CASES CITED
None
STATUTES REFERRED TO
None
