On Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024, a crucial homicide case was presided over by a High Court Judge of Adamawa State, Justice Abbas Adamu Hobon. The case was between Liberty and Veritas, the counsel representing the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and the counsel representing Mr. S. C. A, the accused person, respectively. The moot court trial took place at the School of Law Complex and was one of the activities lined up for the 2024 Law Week organized by the AUN Law Students Society.
In attendance were the opposing teams of selected law students, who tugged it out in a legal battle at the moot court trial of a criminal case involving Mr. S.C.A., who was accused of committing an act of homicide that resulted in the death of Mr. John Doe. The prosecuting counsel to the FGN was led by Ohiriji Okonta Noelle, along with her colleagues, Fatima Muhammad Yusuf and Banjiram Nihama Abigail. On the other hand, the defense counsel to the accused person was led by Favour Titilope Abayomi, with Aisha Garba and Edima Mfom-Abasi Ben.
As soon as the Judge appeared from his chamber into the courtroom, the attendees' little chatters were subdued when the court clerk alerted the court to rise and then read the charge audibly for the presiding Judge to hear. The atmosphere was quiet and tense as the opposing teams battled it out in the legal proceedings.
Despite using the last-seen concept to support their case against Mr. S.C.A., the prosecuting attorneys made a great effort during the chief examination and reexamination of the witness. Still, they were unable to establish a connection between the accused and the murder of John Doe.
The defense team begged the Judge to give their client a no-case submission after the witness was cross-examined and failed to produce any solid evidence connecting their client to the culpable homicide as claimed. The Judge accepted their plea and dismissed the case due to insufficient evidence, based only on circumstantial evidence, to support a trial or ruling.
Reported by John Abah