An FCT High Court, Apo, on Friday discharged and acquitted a 19-year-old butcher, Manshiru Haruna, charged with conspiracy and culpable homicide.
Justice Muawiyah Idris, in his judgment, said that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt as required by law.
He further said that the confessional statement tendered by the investigating officers did not indicate in any way that it was interpreted by the defendant in Hausa, before signing, since he does not understand English.
Justice Idris said failure to comply with the law makes the document inadmissible as an exhibit.
He said to establish a case of culpable homicide punishable with death; the ingredient of the case must be that the cause of death of the deceased was intentional.
He further added that the father of the deceased, Ibrahim Mohammed, had confirmed that he was sick with cough for five years and died days after the fight.
“I am not satisfied that the defendant caused the death of the deceased, the defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted of both count one and two.”
The prosecutor, Mr John Ijagbemi had informed the court that the defendant committed the offence on June 4, 2017, at Tipper Garage, Kuje FCT, Abuja.
He said that the defendant caused the death of one Ibrahim Mohammed by beating him mercilessly.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 97 and 221 of the Penal Code.
The defence counsel, Lukeman Fagbemi, had told the court that all the evidence of the prosecution were totally unreliable to sustain the charges against the defendant.
