CO129-346 - Governor Sir Lugard - 1908 [1-3] — Page 153

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the Principal Civil Medical Officer who contended that the

fact of attempted suicide pointed rather to remorse at the

consequences of an unpremeditated act than to a desire to

1

escape the legal penalty of the crime.

On the opinions of Members being

taken four advised that the law should take its course,

while three were of the opinion that the sentence should,

on the ground of the prisoner's sex, be commuted to one of

penal servitude for life. The Principal Civil Medical

Officer advised that the woman should be pardoned. The

Chief Justice who attended the Meeting of the Council was

asked whether he had ever known of a capital sentence

being carried out upon a woman, and both he and the

Attorney-General stated that they did not know of any case

in which it had been inflicted.

In these circumstances, the

opinions for and against the execution of the sentence

being equal, I decided to commute it to one of penal

servitude for life.

I have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obedient,

humble servant,

Mugan

Governor, &c. .