Alleged husband killer Maryam Sanda,has told an FCT High Court that she had no case to answer.
Her Late hubby Bello was a nephew of former PDP Chairman, Alhaji Bello Halliru Muhammad.
She was docked alongside her brother, Aliyu Sanda; her mother, Maimuna Aliyu and her housemaid, Sadiya Aminu, who were charged with assisting her to conceal the evidence by cleaning the blood of the deceased from the scene of the crime. They pleaded not guilty.
Police had subsequently called six witnesses to corroborate the charge.
At the resumed hearing, her counsel, Olusegun Jolaawo, in his no-case submission, told the court that the prosecution had not made a prima facie case against his client to warrant her to defend herself.
He added that the evidence brought by the prosecution before the court were done away with by cross examination.
He then, urged the court to uphold the no case submission and discharge his client of the murder charge.
Also, counsel for the three other defendant, Hussein Musa, in his submission, urged the court to discharge and acquit the defendants because the prosecution did not adduce enough evidence to warrant them to enter defence.
However, the prosecution counsel, Fidelis Ogbobe, while urging the court to dismiss the no-case submission, submitted that the prosecution had made out enough evidence to warrant the defendants to enter defence in the case.
He said there were enough evidence that linked the defendants to the crime, and as such, they have to make their defence to the charge.
The trial judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu thereafter, fixed April 4 for ruling on the no-case submission.
No-case submission literally means an application by the defendant submitting that the prosecution had not led enough evidence to warrant for conviction or for the defendant(s) to defend herself.
If the application succeeds, the defendant(s) will be discharged and acquitted.
However, if it fails, the defendant(s) will be ordered to open her defence.
from dailytrust
Na person wey die him own spoil
ReplyDeleteThey will eventually sweep this case under the carpet
Werey woman she belongs to the asylum
ReplyDeleteI'm yet to c one of the women that killed their husbands sentenced to death...but the ones that killed their wives have been sentenced already
ReplyDeleteThis case still dey court? Na wa o
ReplyDeleteNawa
ReplyDeleteWhy do i feel like this woman will beat this case. I hope not, she's guilty as hell.
ReplyDeleteStellz, there's no big deal. Some lawyers use this as delay tactics to stall, especially when they know the prosecution has made out a good case and they have a weak defence.
ReplyDeleteIn our criminal jurisprudence, in criminal proceedings the prosecution opens its and calls witnesses to testify in order to sustain the charge against the defendant( the accused). When it is done with its witnesses, the prosecution rests by closing its case. The defendant is expected to open his/her defence by testifying and calling his/her witnesses if any. At the end of the defence, counsel from both sides file written addresses and replies, where applicable, after adoption of said addresses, the court will adjourn for judgment which will be delivered within 3 months.
However, after the prosecution closes its case, if the defence is of the opinion that no prima facie case (incriminating evidence) has been made out against the defendant, the defence counsel makes a no case submission, which is essence means that since the prosecution's evidence doesn't link the defendant in anyway with the offence alleged, there's no need to defend what has not been proved. So the court ought to discharge and acquit the defendant. According to the Administration of criminal justice Act 2015, the court can on its own (suo moto) hold that the defendant has no case to answer, after the prosecution closes its case. This, however, is rarely done by the courts in murder cases.
A defence lawyer can take advantage of a no case submission to buy time because instead of the defence to open its case, the court must first rule on the no case submission. If the court upholds the no case submission, the defendant will be discharged but if the court overrules the submission, the defendant will be called to open his/her defence. No normal person will be in a hurry to rush to the gallows, so stalling on the part of the defence is expected. The ACJA 2015 has even helped to accelerate criminal proceedings. Criminal cases, especially murder cases, used to drag on for years. I remember a case that was pending at the high court for about 9 years. With this Act, a lot of delay tactics has been whittled down.
Thank you for this piece of information .
DeleteDear Ronalda many thanks for the explanation.
DeleteChinwe Uba
you're both welcome.
DeleteAnyone who kills intentionally shud be killed.
ReplyDeleteI was in court yesterday when this matter came up. I had no idea she was the one because she covered her enter face with her Hijab and she doesn't look like her mum and brother. No wonder there were pressmen in court. I remember wondering what the 4 of them had done. It is well. The Judge is a very impartial Judge so i can trust he'll give a sound judgement devoid of sentiment.
ReplyDeletesome men will push a woman to murder and society will be shouting another thing....they dont see what the men do as evil....free her if no serious evidence against her, but God will fight in his own time
ReplyDelete