Key points
- An Abuja High Court has sentenced a civil servant to life imprisonment for causing his friend’s death.
- The court found that the victim died after being pushed during an altercation.
- The judge ruled that an autopsy was not essential since the cause of death had been established.
- The defendant was convicted of culpable homicide not punishable with death.
Main story
An Abuja High Court has sentenced a 56-year-old civil servant, Philip Bassey, to life imprisonment for causing the death of his friend, Emeka Nonyelu, following an altercation in Kubwa.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Idris Mohammed held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt through eyewitness testimony and the defendant’s own statement admitting to the incident.
The judge ruled that the evidence before the court established that Bassey’s actions directly led to the victim’s death, even though there was no intention to kill.
Mohammed also held that an autopsy was not a mandatory requirement for a murder-related conviction where the cause of death had already been sufficiently established through available evidence.
He convicted Bassey under Section 224 of the Penal Code, which prescribes life imprisonment or a lesser term for culpable homicide not punishable with death.
During the trial, prosecuting counsel Adama Musa told the court that Bassey and Nonyelu had a disagreement at Airlington Hotel in Kubwa on Jan. 6, 2024.
According to the prosecution, Bassey slapped Nonyelu and pushed him to the ground, causing him to strike his head on a concrete surface.
The victim reportedly lost consciousness following the incident and died several days later from the injuries sustained.
Musa argued that the defendant’s actions constituted culpable homicide under the Penal Code.
Before sentencing, Bassey pleaded with the court for leniency during his allocutus.
The issues
The judgment highlights that Nigerian courts can secure convictions for culpable homicide where the prosecution establishes the cause of death through credible evidence, even without an autopsy, provided the circumstances surrounding the death are clear.
What’s being said
“The act of the defendant did not intend to kill but rather his actions caused Nonyelu’s death.” — Justice Idris Mohammed
What’s next
With the conviction and sentence delivered, Bassey is expected to begin serving his life sentence unless he exercises his right to appeal the judgment.
Bottom line
The court ruled that although there was no proven intent to kill, Bassey’s actions during the altercation directly caused his friend’s death, warranting a life sentence for culpable homicide.
