I saw a question on the front page today that caught my attention. While perusing through the comments, I discovered there was an advise that you should not fight in work enviroment, but you take your fight out of work enviroment and have a brawl at kings meet field (field of battle).

The question is why will you fight at your place of work or another place at all?

What will make you fight and who are you fighting?

Do you know that a simple public fight can have long-lasting consequences and problem ruin your life and career?

Just like that, you will just become an ex-convict nobody wants to touch with a 40 feet pole. worse than a leper that is limited in all spheres.

Do you remember a certain governor of Delta State that spent the greater part of his political career fighting legal battles on an allegation that he was an ex-convict and, therefore, not fit to hold the office of a governor?

Well, let's quickly consider that that simple fight can damage you for life.

Below is the link to the question and my response.

https://www.nairaland.com/6623793/how-long-jailed-fought-someone/2#103170780[b][/b]

The fact that you are asking shows a motive and thus satisfies the key element of a crime. But there can also be a civil action in tort for assault and battery. So know that while you are in jail or preparing to go to jail, damages can be awarded against your estate. And your assets might be liquidated to satisfy the judgment debt.

Your question evidences a guilty mind and guilty act, which presupposes that it is premeditated. So the question of self-defence or provocation is out of it.

The commonest offence you could be charged with is " breach of public peace".

Section 168 (1) explains conducts that amounts to a breach of public peace and in this regard, Section 168(1) (e)

While Section 168(2) provides for a fine of N15, 000 for a first-time offender and N45, 000 for a second-time offender or a jail term of not less than 3 months. So apart from paying a fine, you can also end up in jail for 3 months.



Another possible offence one can easily be charged with is the office of assault or aggravated assault.

For the avoidance of doubt, Section 252 of the Criminal Code Act defines an assault as:

“ a person who strikes, touches, or moves, or otherwise applies force of any kind to the person of another, either directly or indirectly, without his consent, or with his consent, if the consent is obtained by fraud, or who by any bodily act or gesture attempts or threatens to apply force of any kind to the person of another without his consent, in such circumstances that the person making the attempt or threat has actually or apparently a present ability to effect his purpose, is said to assault that other person, and the act is called an assault”.

This is a misdemeanour that is punishable by virtue of Section 351 of the Criminal Code Act thus:

"any person who unlawfully assaults another is guilty of a misdemeanour, and is liable, if no greater punishment is provided, to imprisonment for one year."


Section 170 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State defines assault thus:

(1) A person who—
(a) strikes, touches, moves, or otherwise applies force of any kind to the
person of another, either directly or indirectly, without his consent; or
(b) by any bodily act, gesture, attempts or threatens to apply force of any kind
to the person of another without his consent, in such circumstances that
the person making the attempt or threat has actual or apparent ability to
effect his purpose is said to assault that other person.

The Punishment is provided for in Section 172 to 173 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011 thus:

By the express provision of Section 172 light or non-injurious Assault is punishable with a jail term of not less than 1 year if no greater punishment is provided.

By the express provision of Section 173 assault causing harm or injury to another is punishable with a jail term of not less than 3 years.

By the express provision of Section 174 serious assault is punishable with a jail term of not less than 3 years.

172 is a misdemeanour, while 173 and 174 is a felonious offence.

There is also the offence of malicious damage to the property of another. You can be charged if you end up destroying other people’s properties during the fight.

Also, know that if the offence is serious and life-threatening, one can be charged with attempted murder.

The offence of grievous bodily harm can lie against you, and perhaps murder, if the victim dies within a year of the injury, whether directly or remotely from the grievous bodily harm.

So before you engage in a fight, think twice.

All this English just for fighting?

Wow
Long post but I enjoyed reading it...so if I slap someone, I could go to jail for a year.

Meksbig:
Wow
Long post but I enjoyed reading it...so if I slap someone, I could go to jail for a year.

In a sane clime, yes, you will do some jail time for slapping another.