UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN

FACULTY OF SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

COURSE TITLE: EVIDENTIAL PROCEDURES

COURSE CODE: MFS 710

NAME
OSADEME, SANDRA NWAMAKA

COURT ATTACHMENT REPORT

MATRIC NO

225044

NOVEMBER, 2021
Table of contents
Abstract

The role of forensic science in crime investigation is pivotal in the Nigerian justice
system as result of the increase in sophisticated crimes. Rather than focusing on
eyewitness statements, circumstantial evidences and confessions that cannot be
100% reliable, forensic scientists make use analytical and scientific techniques to
examine evidence from crimes and prepare legal statements that summarise the
results for court cases. *****ADD evidential procedure definition from class
note***

This report explores the void of forensic science, advancement of forensic science
and problems of forensic science in the Nigerian justice system
INTRODUCTION

Forensic science, the application of the methods of the natural and physical
sciences to matters of criminal and civil law. Forensic science can be involved not
only in investigation and prosecution of crimes such as rape, murder, and drug
trafficking but also in matters in which a crime has not been committed but in
which someone is charged with a civil wrong such as willful pollution of air or
water or causing industrial injuries. Forensic science cuts across virtually all
sciences as it can contribute to solving a crime or evaluating a civil harm. In fact,
with few exceptions, forensic sciences are no different in what they study than
traditional sciences. The only difference is that forensic scientists apply the
methods and techniques of established sciences to legal matters.

Criminalistics can be defined as the application of scientific methods to the

recognition, collection, identification, and comparison of physical evidence
generated by criminal or illegal civil activity. It also involves the reconstruction of
such events by evaluation of the physical evidence and the crime scene.
Criminalists, usually called “forensic scientists,” analyze evidence such as body
fluids in order to determine if DNA in those fluids matches blood found at a crime
scene (see DNA fingerprinting). Other forensic scientists may help identify, collect,
and evaluate physical evidence at a crime scene.

****EVIDENTIAL PROCEDURES NoTE and definition* Nigerian courts system

Talk about equisitorial ( European) and advertorial (Nigerian)

Evidences and confessions and eye witness statement

Evidences admissible and not admissible

The role of forensic science in crime investigation is pivotal in the Nigerian justice
system as result of the increase in sophisticated crimes. forensic scientists make
use analytical and scientific techniques to examine evidence from crimes and
prepare legal statements that summarise the results for court cases. Forensic
evidences are direct evidences.Direct evidence is evidence that directly proves a
key fact. Forensic evidences are 100% reliable, accountable, irrefutable and
admissible in court. The Nigerian police force still relies on solely relevant but
archaic methods of establishing conviction or defense such as;

Circumstantial Evidence

Circumstantial evidence is evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a

conclusion of fact—such as a fingerprint at the scene of a crime (direct evidence).
In other words,

Confessions

Witness statement / Eye witness statement

A witness statement is a person's account of facts in a case. In a legal sense,

eyewitness testimony refers to an individual's firsthand account of an event that
they witnessed (usually one that is suspected to be or considered to be a crime),
(Quigley, 2011).

An "eyewitness" is typically a victim or bystander who was present at an event

that is under criminal investigation (such as a robbery, assault, or murder).
"Testimony" is that person's description of what they observed during the event,
including those present who were involved in the crime.

The role of an eyewitness testimony is a crucial part of the criminal justice system
as the jurors are compelled to believe when a legal team presents an eyewitness
who can confidently identify the suspect and confirm that they saw them commit
a crime. However, eyewitness testimony has a fatal flaw: It is not always accurate.
If a witness provides testimony that is untrue or mistaken, it can lead to a
wrongful conviction (Loftus 1996). Evidence on the reliability of eyewitness
testimony is mixed.
COURT ATTACHMENT

The 2 weeks court attachment is an integral part of the academic activities in the
Professional Master's of Forensic Science degree program into the University of
Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. Students of the program began the court attachment on
25th of October till 5th of November where they observed court proceedings at
the Iyangaku Magistrate Court, Iyangaku, Ibadan, Oyo State where I was assigned
to observe the proceedings at court 1 of Chief Magistrate Court, Iyangaku.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE

To deepen knowledge and practice of law in the Nigerian Justice System.

To acquaint students with technicalities of the court

To prepare students for appearance in court as expert witnesses.

To observe court processes.

OBSERVATIONS

The court comprises of several groups of people such as the jury, counsels,
litigants, witnesses and court audience.
Review of notable cases

Legal terms aquainted with during the course of court attachment

Direct evidence- Direct evidence is evidence that directly proves a key fact

Prejudicial evidence

Probative evidence

Leading questions

Contempt a facia

Contempt ex facia

Legal self help

Witness summon
Subpoena/ Service

Bench warrant

Provocation

Self defence

Insanity

Examination in chief

Cross examination

Consolidation

Carnal knowledge

Consolidation

Watching brief

Hearing

Mentioning

Stealing- conversion, robbery, armed robbery

Prima fascia case

Recalcitrant

Conclusion
References

Evidential procedures - MFS 710 Lecture notes, 2020/2021 University of Ibadan

Quigley-McBride A, Smalarz L, Wells G, Eyewitness Testimony. 2011.

Loftus EF. Eyewitness Testimony. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press; 1996:201