Principle Archive

Once a party pleads and traces his root of title to a particular person or family, he must establish how that person also came to have…

Evidence contrary to pleadings should never be admitted. Even if admitted without objection, it is the court's duty to treat it as if it had never…

A statement to the police by a witness who does not testify at trial is inadmissible hearsay. It cannot be admitted to prove the truth of…

Where the record shows that the charge was read, interpreted, and explained to the accused in a language he understood, and the judge was satisfied before…

Where inadmissible evidence is admitted, the appellate court must consider whether the trial judge would have reached the same decision without it. If it is impossible…

The death penalty and its method of execution is lawful and valid as sanctioned by sections 30(1) and 31(1)(a) of the 1979 Constitution.

Traditional evidence may ground a declaration of title where it is more cogent and credible than that of the opposing party, especially where the opposing party's…

Where parties to a proceeding are parties or privies to a previous proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction litigating the same subject matter, they cannot…

When a ground of appeal is incompetent, any issue for determination based on that ground goes to no issue and should be struck out. An issue…

It is trite that a court must not grant to a party a relief which he has not sought or which is more than he has…

The grant or refusal of an interlocutory injunction is in the absolute discretion of the court, which discretion, like all judicial discretions, must be exercised judiciously,…

The phrase "status quo ante bellum" means the situation or position prevailing before the defendants' conduct complained of by the plaintiff.