The trial Judge was therefore right in holding that the retraction of the Appellant's confessional statement did not render them inadmissible or worthless or untrue in considering the guilt of the Appellant. Silas Ikpo vs. State (1996) 1 NILR pate 59, Ihuebeka vs. State (2000) 4 SC pt 1 page 203, Idowu vs. State (2000) 7 SC pt II Page 50. The law is that a free and voluntary confession of guilt made by an accused person, if it is direct and positive is sufficient to warrant his conviction without any corroborative evidence as long as the court is satisfied of the confession. Effiong Vs. State (1998) 8 NWLR (pt. 552) 362 SC, Ihuebeka Vs. State (2000) 4 SC (pt.1) 203, Idowu Vs. State (2000) 7 SC (pt.11) 50, Alarape vs. The State (2001) 14 WRN I SC. The law reports are replete with the notion that a Confessional Statement of an accused person to the commission of a crime plays a major role in the determination of his guilt. The Appellant in his statements Exhibit C and C(1) confessed to the crime he was charged with. Exhibit D was again made confirming the other statements Exhibit C and C(1). Exhibit D was made in front of his mother, a Senior Police Officer and the mother of the deceased. Had it been that Exhibit C and C(1) were not voluntary he would have said so in Exhibit D. There would not have been any threat or cohesion in front of his mum and the deceased mother. In the face of the Appellant's confessional statements, the trial Judge was entitled to convict the Appellant having ascertained that the confession was voluntary. Okeke vs. State (2003) 15 NWLR pt 842 page 25. I had earlier in this issue whilst resolving the evidence of the eye witness desisted from making any findings on questions of corroboration. The Appellant's counsel had argued that, the trial Judge relied on the uncorroborated testimony of an infant in reaching his decision and convicting the Appellant. It would be recalled that, A. E. Archibong J the first Judge tested the infant as required by Section 209 (1) Evidence Act, 2011. The infant passed this test and was sworn before giving his testimony. His testimony gave a graphic detail of what transpired on that fateful day leading to the death of his twin brother.

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