It is wel I seuled that the burden of proving armed robbery against an acc used pu s
I1es 0~1 th~ prosec_ut1on and 11 does not shift This is provided in sect iun 139 ( I). (111
2)1
and (~) o1 the Evidence Act, 20 I 1. See Ad 1sa VS . State (20 I 5) 4 N wI.I ( ( pt 14 :,oJ
47:) wJ 502 . lJkwunney i vs . State(l989)4 NWLR (pt 114) 131 .
It is al so se ttl ed that proof beyond reasonable doubt in the realm 111' crimi11:il _just ice
1s certainly, not proof beyond all shadow of doubt. See State vs . <lw:in -gw, ,
11 1
(2015) 13 N\VLR (pt 1477) 600@ 635.
-~
In Iin e with th e foregoing and under Nigerian crimina I system, an accusc;d person is
pre sumed to be innocent unti I proven guilty . Nol only th is, he is cnt itkd 1,/:cni<Jy Ii is
right to fair hearing as unequivocally stated in section 36 (4) or the constitutio11 or
the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) . See Adisa vs. State supra (a)
502 .
1
In criminal trials , the prosecution can establish the guilt of an accused perso11 /'or the
commission of the alleged offence by any of the following:
a.
the confessional statement of the accused :
b.
circumstantial evidence: and
c.
evidence of an eye witness .
See the case of Alufohai vs . State (2015) 3 NWLR 9pt 1445) l T2 .
In the light of the foregoing, did the prosecution prove the guilt of the clele nclant fo r
the crime of the armed robbery he was charged with in this case?
l agree with the submission of the learned counsel for the defendant Lh at
lilt
prosecution relied on direct evidence and confessional evidence in this case .
In deploying direct evidence to prove its case, the prosecution relied on Lhe evid enc e
of PW 1, PW2 and PW3 , and to some extent, the evidence of PW4 .
Let me qu ote the essential part of PWl 's evidence .
·rn the morning of 5/5/10, around 7.20am, I was at the petrol pump selling.
Tw o boy s earn; into the station -with their rnotor cycle . The motor cycI_e was
painted yello w and the name of the motor cycle is carter brnnd . 0 _11e ol th em
is the defendant in the dock . The passenger then brought out hi s gun and
,, A
1 I "'\
•
f- p
rl
C'
I") t"'\"'\ Q
I")
t
., . . .
,:lo
() '"' r,
I
r)
r,
I/
·I
Or
t "'V'\ U
1 A
.
) l• O
r
.) ,-, , , , •~
l rl : rl
r, , ,
,-1 I, r., , r.
•~
, .,
I ,, -~ , l ; •~ • • • • ' ; j I ,