(iii)
That the defendant participated in the robbery.
- Pedro V. State {2018} 17 NWLR pt 1649 p 463
- Ogugu V. State {1990} 2 NWLR pt 134 p 539
- Kim V. State {1992} 4SCNJ 81
Although by the second count charge as contained on the charge sheet,
the defendant was alleged to have attacked one ASCII Ahmad
Madawaki Ishaku and one Abiodun F.A who are custom officers on
stop and search duty with AK47 riffle and dispossessed them of their
mobile phones Techno WX3P, Techno Tablet and Nokia 106 valued
at N32,000, N50,000 and N8,000 respectively, the said custom officers
did not appear before this court and testify to those facts despite their
being vital witnesses in proving allegation.
A vital witness is a witness whose evidence may determine a case one
way or the other, and where that vital witness is not called by the party
in whose favour the witness may testify, such failure is fatal to the case
of that party failing to call the vital witness.
- State V. Innolin {1994} 5 NWLR pt 345 p 394
- Imhanria V. Nigeria Army {2007} 14 NWLR pt 1053 p
76
- Framo Nig Ltd V. Daodu {1993} 3 NWLR pt 281 p 372
The only evidence led by the prosecution explaining the circumstances
under which the AK47 riffle and mobile phones came to the defendant,
is the statement of defendant admitted in evidence and marked as
exhibits ‘D’ and ‘D1” for Hausa and English translated versions
respectively.
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