The rationale behind the imposition of this duty upon
the prosecution, is derived from the constitutional
provision of presumption of innocence in favour of a
defendant charged with the allegation of committing a
crime by Section 36 (5) of the CFRN 1999 as
amended.
From the charge with which the defendant was
arraigned, the defendant was alleged to have
committed the offence of Culpable Homicide not
punishable with death punishable under Section 192 (2)
of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law, 2019. The
Section provides as follows:“192. Culpable Homicide is not punishable
with death:
(2) Where the offender, in the exercise
in good faith of the right of private
defence of person or property, exceeds
the powers given to him by law and
causes the death of the person against
whom he is exercising such defence
without premeditation and without any
intention of doing more harm than is
necessary for the purpose of such
defence.”
From the foregoing provision of Section 192 (2) of the
Sokoto State Penal Code Law, 2019, it has become
very clear that the subsection (2) of the said Section
192 of the Penal Code Law, only described one of the
circumstances under which the offence of Culpable
Homicide will not be punishable with death without
prescribing the punishment for the offence of Culpable
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