Supreme Court Upholds D£ath Sentence Of Farmer Who K!lled Fulani Attacker In Self-Defense |
In a controversial ruling, the Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the d£ath sentence of Sunday Jackson, a farmer who was convicted of k!lling a Fulani herdsman in an act of self-defense.
The decision, delivered today, comes ten years after Jackson was first imprisoned, sparking outrage over what legal experts describe as a clear miscarriage of justice.
Jackson, a farmer, was violently attacked with a knife by the deceased Fulani herdsman. Despite sustaining injuries, he managed to overpower his attacker, wresting the weapon from him and using it in self-defense. The altercation resulted in the death of the herdsman. However, instead of being recognized as an act of self-preservation, Jackson was arrested and later sentenced to death in 2021 after spending seven years in pre-trial detention.
His case, which was appealed on constitutional grounds, highlighted several irregularities, including delays in judgment delivery and alleged bias from the presiding judge.
Legal analysts point to a significant procedural error in Jackson’s trial, citing a breach of the 1999 Constitution’s provision mandating that judgments must be delivered within 90 days after final arguments. Court records reveal that:
Jackson testified on February 27, 2020, and the matter was adjourned for final written addresses on August 27, 2020.
Judgment, however, was not delivered until February 10, 2021—a delay of 167 days, far exceeding the constitutional limit.
Under Nigeria’s Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), such a delay renders the judgment voidable, particularly when it results in a miscarriage of justice.
In another shocking turn, the trial judge allegedly substituted personal opinions for facts, creating a version of events not supported by evidence. The judge ruled that Jackson "had the option to flee" instead of defending himself
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Sentence To Death