Culpable Homicide: Court frees man after 8 years in custody without trial
Story from Abdulaziz M JAURO, Yola
A court in Adamawa State has exonerated one Mr Enoch Gabiribau who was in prison custody for 8 years after being accused of culpable homicide.
Barrister Adikwu and his team were invited to take up the matter probono because the suspect couldn’t afford a lawyer to defend him.
Adikwu revealed joyously that they took up the case after finding out that the accused was being arraigned on culpable homicide punishable by death.
He said that Enoch’s arraignment took the prosecution about 8 years to call their witnesses and to close the case during which the accused remained in prison custody.
“At the close of the case of the prosecution, my team and l opted to make a no-case submission on the ground that the prosecution has not made out any prima facie case against the defendant for which he will be called upon to enter his defence.
“This submission of ours was equally responded to by the prosecution and my lord, Honourable Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, in a well-considered judgement delivered on 30/06/2022 agreed with our submissions that a prima facie case has not been made out against the defendant and accordingly discharged Mr Enoch Gabirisibau,” Adikwu said.
He continued by saying that the court under the supervision of the Judge has set Gabirisibau free after eight long years in prison custody.
“Mr Enoch Gabirisibau is a free man. Before he left, my team and l had the privilege of counselling him to be of good behaviour and to stay completely away from crime and criminality, we hope and pray he heeds to our counsel and find a place and acceptance among his people and the society at large.
Gabriel while appreciating his team members for their relentless efforts to set Enoch free, said their service was offered in line with the principles of the law profession – being a voice to the voiceless and securing justice for the deserved under the constitution of Nigeria.
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