EVIDENCE LAW — Wrongful Admission of Evidence — Effect on Appeal — Test under Section 227(1) Evidence Act
Ratio Decidendi
Per Onnoghen, JSC, in Ogbimi v. Niger Construction Ltd (2006) NLC-123-275-2001(SC) at p. 11; Paras A–B:
"The wrongful admission of evidence shall not of itself be a ground for the reversal of any decision in any case where it shall appear to the court on appeal that the evidence so admitted cannot reasonably be held to have affected the decision and that such decision would have been the same if such evidence had not been admitted."
Explanation / Scope
Wrongful admission of evidence does not automatically reverse a judgment; the appellant must show it affected the decision. The principle applies to evidence law.