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Acquittal due to invalid seizure documentation and a broken chain of custody undermining prosecution's case.
* Criminal law – narcotic drugs – proof of possession and trafficking – requirement to prove possession beyond reasonable doubt; burden under s.28 DCEA shifts to accused to show lawful possession on balance of probabilities.
* Evidence – certificates of seizure – must be completed and signed at the scene and, where required, witnessed independently to have evidential weight.
* Evidence – extra‑judicial statement – a retracted statement is not a confession and requires corroboration.
* Evidence – chain of custody – documentation or watertight oral testimony required to exclude tampering; contradictions and unexplained gaps break the chain.
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