Law Of Evidence

The Law of Evidence is an aspect of procedural law which relates to proof of facts before the court, how facts may be proved, who may prove, and what facts may or may not be proved in a court of law.

There are various definitions of evidence. But there is no universal definition of evidence. Each of the definitions is open to one criticism or the other and as such none of them attains the status of universal acceptance.

Firstly, according to Taylor, evidence is all legal means, exclusive of mere argument, which tend to prove or disprove any matter of fact; the truth of which is submitted to judicial investigation” Secondly, according to Nokes, judicial evidence consisting of facts which are legally admissible, and the legal means of attempting to prove such facts.

Also according to Philpson evidence means the testimony, whether oral, documentary or real, which may be legally received in order to prove or disprove some facts is dispute.

Aguda defined evidence as the means by which facts are proved but excluding inferences and arguments.

Evidence or judicial evidence is the means by which facts are proved before courts.

In FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA V. MIKE, evidence was defined as follow “in literal sense, evidence is a means of proving or disproving an unknown or disputed.”

The law of evidence is both substantive and procedural law which revolves round civil and criminal proceedings.