GARKO
V.
STATE

BA’ABA JCA (Delivering the Lead Judgment): The appellant was arraigned before Mahuta CJ, of the Katsina State High Court, sitting at Katsina Judicial Division, Katsina for an offence under section 225 of the Penal Code. At the conclusion of the trial, the learned trial Chief Judge, convicted the appellant as charged and sentenced him to a 5 year term of imprisonment. The facts of the case are in the followingbrief narrative. Following a report of the theft of a vespa motorcycle made to the Bakori Divisional Police Station, the accused who was then the officer in charge of the police station in company of other police officers under his command searchedthe house of the deceased on suspicion that he was giving thieves shelter and helpingthem to dispose of stolen properties. The deceased was arrested and taken to the Bakori police station on 10/8/97 and subsequently arraigned before Jargaba Area Court on 11/8/97. The court ordered that the deceased be remanded in prison custody. But in…