Court fixes Nov. 10 for adoption of alleged culpable homicide case ~
NAN-H-72
Addresses
By Edith Nwapi
Abuja, Oct. 20, 2016 (NAN) An FCT High Court on Thursday adjourned the adoption of written addresses in alleged culpable homicide against Sarah Ogah to Nov. 2.
Justice Jude Okekeadjourned the case after the Counsel to the Defendant, Mr Paul Atayi, entered a no-case submission in the case.
Atayi had contended that the two witnesses brought by prosecution did not establish a prima facie case against the defendant to warrant his defence.
Both counsel agreed to exchange addresses at the next adjourned date and Okeke adjourned the case till Nov. 2 for adoption of written addresses.
Ogah is among the 164 prisoners awaiting trial at Suleja prison when the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, visited the prisons during a jail delivery.
Bello had ordered that all pending cases in FCT courts should be disposed to help in reducing the number of convicts that should not be in detention.
Ogah, 21, was arraigned on a count of culpable homicide.
The prosecutor, Mr Adama Musa had told the court that the accused committed the offence at about 9 a.m at Gishiri village on April 12, 2013.
Musa said that Sarah did commit culpable homicide by stabbing his boyfriend, Friday Shehu, with knife on the chest which caused his death.
He said this contravened Sections 220 (a) and (b) and punishable under Section 224 of the Penal Code.
At previous hearing, Atayi had objected to the confessional statement made by Sarah and the court, thereafter, ordered “trial within trial” to determine whether the statement was voluntary.
Okeke had dismissed the objection, saying that there were no evidence showing that the defendant was compelled to write the statement.
He, thereafter, admitted the statement in evidence and marked it as Exhibit A. (NAN)
NEO/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha