The word ‘ homicide ‘ came from the Latin terms homa ( man ) and cide ( cut ) , meaning thereby killing of a human being by a human being is homicide.
Culpable Homicide is defined by section 299 of the Penal Code .According to the section 299 of whoever causes death by doing an act with the intention of causing death , or with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death , or with the knowledge that he is likely by such act to cause death , commits the offence of culpable homicide.
The essential elements of the offence of culpable homicide are as follows :-
i) that death of a human being was caused ;
ii) by an act with the intention of causing death ; or
iii) by an act with the intention of causing such bodily injury as is likely to cause death ; or
iv) by an act with the knowledge that the act was likely to cause death .
Without one or other of these elements an act , though it may be in it’s nature criminal and may occasion death , will not amount to the offence of culpable homicide .
