MOHAMMED LADAN V. THE STATE

AHMAD OLAREWAJU BELGORE, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The accused person, Mohammed Ladan, was arraigned before High Court of Justice, Sokoto in Sokoto State on a charge which reads thus :-

"That you Mohammed Ladan on or about the 6th day of April, 2002 at about 12:00 midnight, at Runji, Gidan Madi Tangaza L.G. area within Sokoto Judicial Division did commit culpable homicide punishable with death in that while drunk with alcohol you beat up and strangulated your mother one Hajiya Hawwa Mohammed to death with the knowledge that you are likely to cause her death by your acts, and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 22 1 (b) of the Penal Code, Cap. 104, Laws of Sokoto State, 1996."

Six witnesses testified for the prosecution. The voluntary statements made by the accused person (now The Appellant) were admitted in evidence without objection and were marked as Exhibit A and A1 respectively. Exhibit A1 was made at Gidan Madi Police Station on the 7th day of Ap…