From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Justice Christy L.Dabup of the High Court of Justice in Jos has convicted and sentenced to death by hanging 40 year-old Mr Badung David Dele for choking his lover, Miss Nanchin Zacharias to death.
Dele committed the offense on February 15, 2016 and fled. He was arrested by the Divisional Police Headquarters in Nasarawa Gwom and the matter was transferred to CID headquarters, where he confessed to using a yellow towel to strangulate his girlfriend to death. Nanchin hails from of Angwan Nasarawa Gwom of Jos North Local Government Area.
Mr Badung Dele was found guilty of committing culpable homicide punishable under section 221 of the Northern Nigeria 1963 as applicable to Plateau state .
In a suit, The State vs Badung David Dele, a murder case under section 221 of penal code was established and the defendant pleaded guilty to the offense committed .
Before delivering judgment, Justice Christy Dabup said the court relied on three issues to determined the veracity of the offense committed. The three issues were eyewitness account evidence, confessional statement and circumstantial evidence of the witnesses .
The judge declared that the defendant was arraigned and he pleaded guilty on the March 13, 2021 after testifying through personal hand writing that shows that he committed the crime.
However, in the course of the proceedings eyewitnesses Nanshep Paul; Pw1, Nanman Zacharias; Pw2 Insp. Jethro Ishaku ; Pw3, Chief Supr. Simeo Obinna; Pw4 ,the ICO, Fumi Amos, the landlady to the deceased Pw5, testified before the honourable how the whole incident happen .
They confessed that Badung David Dele threatened one Samson, the now deceased boyfriend of the victim, and the late Nanchin Zacharias whom Dele warned to stay clear of any relationship with Samson .
According to eyewitness PW2, on March 15, 2016,they saw him (David Dele ) entered into the apartment of the deceased and came out at about 9am. He came back again and left the apartment with polyethylene leather bag in his hand .
They suspected his movement and alerted their neighbours. They entered the apartment of the deceased and found her lifeless body. They rushed her to BMC Hospital from and then to Evangelical Winning All Hospital (Jankwano), where doctors confirmed her death .
However, during his cross examination the accused person attested that his statements were not taken under duress and earlier denied saying that on the February 15, 2016 when police were in search of him he was with one Abubakar Kamara, a close friend.
The judgment read that section 135 of of the 1999 Constitution as amended shows that the prosecution counsel had discharge proof of confession, eyewitness and circumstantial evidence to show that the accused person committed the murder .
