Tukur (PW 3), they met the Appellant rearing cattle. They greeted him, he refused to reciprocate their
greeting but rather chased them. While PW 2 and PW 3 were able to escape, the Appellant caught up
with the Victim and got hold of her. He put his penis in her vagina. She felt pain. The other two girls who
were able to run away reported the incident to Maryam???s parents but by the time they arrived at
the scene, the Appellant had escaped. A report was made to the Ward Head and later to the Police. The
Appellant was subsequently arrested and
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volunteered a statement in Hausa language, Exhibit A1 to PW 4, the Investigating Police Officer, which
was translated into English language, Exhibit A.
On the part of the defence, the Appellant testified on his behalf but called no other witness. He denied
committing the offence but that when he saw the 3 girls, two of them ran away leaving behind the
victim whom he saw crying, she told him that it was someone who tried to rape her but had runaway.
???Both parties having not addressed the Court, the learned trial Judge upon the review of the evidence
before the Court, resolved the sole issue he formulated against the Appellant having found that the
prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and returned a verdict of guilty against the
Appellant. Appellant was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.
Upset by his conviction and sentence, the Appellant commenced this appeal by a notice of appeal filed
on 14/03/2017 predicated upon 7 grounds from which E.U. Chinedum Esq. of Counsel who settled the
Appellant???s brief of argument filed on 10/05/2017, formulated 3 issues for determination, namely:
1. Under Nigerian legal jurisprudence, for a document  ???
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to be admissible in evidence and be accorded probative value, it must be duly signed by the maker. It is
also settled that the language of Court in Nigeria is English. The Accused never did sign the translated
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