D.O. RUNSEWE & ORS VS ALHAJI JIMOH ODUTOLA
July 4, 2025PATRICK ABUSOMWAN VS G.O. AIWERIOBA & ANOR
July 4, 2025Legalpedia Citation: (1996) Legalpedia (SC) 17111
In the Supreme Court of Nigeria
Tue Mar 5, 1996
Suit Number: S.C 58/1994
CORAM
S.M.A BELGORE JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
ABUBAKAR BASHIR WALI JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
EMMANUEL OBIOMA OGWUEGBU JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
ANTHONY IKECHUKWU IGUH JUSTICE, SUPREME COURT
PARTIES
NKWUDA EDAMINE APPELLANTS
RESPONDENTS
AREA(S) OF LAW
SUMMARY OF FACTS
The appellant is a blind man aged about thirty-five years. The victim was his wife. The appellant told the witness that he killed her with a matchet because she was giving his properties out to people and that it was too much for him ?
HELD
He was found guilty of the offence and sentenced to death.
ISSUES
Whether the case against the appellant was proved beyond reasonable doubt and whether the confessional statement attributed to the appellant was rightly so attributed
RATIONES DECIDENDI
NUMBER OF WITNESSES IS IRRELEVANT
Except as provided in section 179 of the Evidence Act Cap. 112 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, no particular number of witnesses shall in any case be required for the proof of a fact
CONFESSIONAL STATEMENTS SUFFICIENT ADMISSION OF GUILT
“The confessional statements were well proved. They are positive, unequivocal and amount to admission of guilt. They are sufficient to ground the finding of guilt and it is immaterial that the appellant resiled from them during his trial. Per OGWUEGBU, JSC
CASES CITED
R. v. Kanu & Ors. (1952) 14 WACA. 30, and Mumuni & Ors. v.. The State (1975) 6. SC. 79 at 94
STATUTES REFERRED TO
None.
