defendants at CID office with respect to their participation in the
commission of the offences alleged against them.
With all the foregoing pieces of evidence as disclose by the statements
of the defendants at both Tureta Divisional Headquarters and the State
CID, it has become very clear and apparent that the defendants are
part of the youth from Malanji Village who after they armed
themselves with sticks, launched a reprisal attack on the youth of
Ketare Village during which attack, one Nuhu Modi was killed and I
so hold.
This is because, it is trite law that a trial court has adjudicatory powers
to accept and act on a retracted confession where there is evidence
before the court tending to show that the defendant in fact made the
statement as in this case.
- State V. Yahaya {2019} 38 WRN 14
- Abdullahi V. State {2019} 16 WRN 145
- Amos V. State {2019} 10 WRN 80
It is also trite law that a defendant can be convicted of an offence on
his own confession because confession is the best form of evidence.
- Kolo V. COP {2019} 22 WRN 1 at 25
- Musa V. State {2019} 10 WRN 1
- Umar V. FRN {2019} 3 WRN 1
Furthermore, a though defence counsel contended that the statements
of the defendants were recorded in violation of section 17 of the ACJL
of Sokoto State 2019, by the provisions of sections 14 and 15 of the
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