CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CORROBORATION UNDER NIGERIAN LAW OF EVIDENCE

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF CORROBORATION UNDER NIGERIAN LAW OF EVIDENCE

Abstract

There is no law that says the plaintiff or the prosecution must bring a million witnesses or evidence to court before he can succeed in his case. A court can convict on a single witness. A case is not decided by the numbers of witnesses, single credible convincing evidence is enough to convict in a case but there are some exceptions. The exceptions refer to by this learned mean the circumstances where corroboration will be required before any judge can decide his case. Although a judge can convict upon the uncorroborated evidence of an accomplice but he must warn himself before given such conviction in fact he is advised to seek corroborating evidence before convicting an accused because failure to do so can lead to the setting aside of his judgment on appeal. Generally, corroboration cuts a niche for itself, it is used both in criminal and civil cases. It will also state the position of judges on the issue of corroboration and various decisions of court on different issues arising from corroboration. In law, corroboration, though popular yet controversial virtually under all legal system this is due to the influence and interpretation of the provisions of the Evidence Act and the criminal and penal codes (on corroboration of evidence) by judges. The desirability of corroboration as a requirement in certain criminal and civil cases under the Nigerian law of evidence and the hope of examine it critically under our legal system is the core focus of this study. This work will therefore elucidate the meaning of corroboration in Nigeria and Canada generally, the role of judges in deciding both civil and criminal cases and various statutory provisions in respect of corroboration of evidence in Nigeria relying largely on both primary and secondary source of law of evidence in Nigeria.

Table of Content

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.0.0: INTRODUCTION
1.1.0: BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.2.0: OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
1.3.0: FOCUS OF STUDY
1.4.0: SCOPE OF STUDY
1.5.0: METHODOLOGY
1.6.0: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.7.0: CONCLUSION

CHAPTER TWO

PRINCIPLE OF CORROBORATION
2.0.0: INTRODUCTION
2.1.0: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CORROBORATION IN NIGERIA.
2.2.0: MEANING / DEFINITION OF CORROBORATION
2.3.0: NATURE OF CORROBORATION
2.4.0 EVIDENCE REQUIRING CORROBORATION
2.5.0 CONCLUSION

CHAPTER THREE

RULES/ FORMS OF CORROBORATION.
3.0.0: INTRODUCTION.
3.1.0: FORMS OF CORROBORATION
3.1.1.0: CORROBORATION AS A MATTER OF LAW.
3.1.1.1 CORROBORATION AS A MATTER OF PRACTICE.V
3.2.1.1: CUMULATIVE CORROBORATION
3.2.1.2: IDENTIFICATION CASES AND CORROBORATION
3.3.0: CORROBORATION UNDER THE COMMON LAW
3.4.0: CONCLUSION

CHAPTER FOUR

INCIDENCES OF CORROBORATION
4.0.0: INTRODUCTION
4.1.0: CORROBORATION IN CIVIL CASES
4.2.0: CORROBORATION IN CRIMINAL CASES
4.3.0: ROLE OF JUDGES AND JURY IN CORROBORATION
4.4.0: PROBLEMS OF CORROBORATION
4.5.0: SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM
4.6.0 CONCLUSION

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.0.0: CONCLUSION
5.1.0 RECOMMENDATION
BIBLIOGRAPHY