The Relevance of Confessions in Criminal Proceedings
Ibraheem, Ojo Tajudeen

Abstract
Despite increased evidence that confessions may be unreliable, they remain the gold standard of evidence for police investigations. One reason for the rejection of some confessional statements is that when confessions are not voluntary there is the danger of the accused falsely implicating himself. Different countries have different rules governing the admissibility of confessions. These rules serve to guarantee that wrongful convictions do not occur. They also serve as a deterrent to abusive interrogation by the police. Some interrogative techniques violate the defendant’s free-will or procedural rights. In this article, while relying on recent judicial and statutory authorities, the writer takes a look at what confessions are. He goes further to examine the relationship between confessions and admissions, the probative value of confessions, the factors that affect the admissibility of a confessional statement, and other facts related to confessions. The role of the court in relation to confessional statements is also considered. Particular attention is given to the position of the law in Nigeria and India, although references are also made to other jurisdictions. This paper focuses on extra-judicial confessions.

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