Western Delta University Law Students held their Moot Court Trial as part of the LAW Week on Thursday June 8th, 2023.
A Hypothetical Case Between The State vs. Mallam Ibrahim. The victim was returning from an all night wake keep at about 5am when he stopped his car along the road, somewhere by Cattle Market, Oghara to urinate. He exited his car and was about to urinate by the road side when Mallam Ibrahim accosted him, telling him not to urinate at the point as it was too close to a house where he kept guard. In the course of the hot verbal exchange, the wife of the deceased stepped out of the car and saw Mallam Ibrahim pushed her husband away from where he was to urinate. The victim, Barr Ose Romor lost his balance , staggered, and fell, smashing his skull on the tarred road. He later died on arrival at the hospital from injuries sustained to his skull.
Honorable Justice Igbineweka (Mrs.) of the College of Law, Western Delta University presided. Three exhibits were presented, even as three witnesses (a Police Inspector, a Medical Doctor, Wife of the deceased), excluding the defendant testified. They were interrogated and cross examined by both the team of prosecuting counsel and the defense counsel. Objections were raised and countered by the future Lawyers during the hearing.
In her judgement, the presiding Judge commended the advocacy skills of the prosecuting counsel and noted that the autopsy report presented by the Doctor had contradictions, and as such can not serve as convincing evidence. On the testimony of the victim’s wife, there was no second witness to corroborate her allegation of the accused pushing her husband, a situation that was said to have led to his death. The Police Inspector, the Judge observed, only arrested the defendant when the Police saw him at the scene of the incident. Consequently, the Judge ruled that the Prosecuting counsel failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt, and thus discharged the accused.
The event is held once in a year to enhance professional skills and was attended by students and lecturers of the Institution.