TAYLOR JSC (DELIVERING THE LEADING JUDGMENT)
The appellants were four of the six accused persons who stood trial at the Assizes held at Uyo in the Calabar Judicial Division on the following eight counts:-
Count 1:with Riot contrary to S.71 of the Criminal Code. Counts 2, 3, and 4:with attempt to murder contrary to S.320(1) of the Criminal Code.
Counts 5 and 6: with doing grievous harm contrary to 5.335 of the Criminal Code.
Count 7: with doing an act intended to cause grievous harm contrary to S.332(1) of the Criminal Code.
Count 8:with serious assault contrary to S. 356(2) of the Criminal Code. The four appellants were found guilty on all the counts and sentenced to various terms of imprisonment to run concurrently with one another, whilst the other two accused were found not guilty and discharged.
The facts of the case, put as shortly as possible, were as follows:
On the 9th November, 1961, the Premier of the Eastern Region, a member of the political party known as the N.C.N.C., was due to…