In Nigeria, many criminal trials have had the Prosecuting side attempt to convict the Defendant through a confessional statement made by the latter at the Police Station during investigation. In the confessional statement, the Defendant purportedly admits to committing the crime he or she has been charged with. In most of such trials, the Defendant states that he or she actually made the confessional statement but complains afterwards that he or she did so because he or she was beaten, forced, threatened or promised some benefit (for example, release from police custody and termination of the case to avoid prosecution in court). In this essay we shall be discussing the admissibility, relevance and utility of a confessional statement.

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