Report No. 226

Chapter 28

Offences Endangering Life or Health

332. Any person who, with intent to maim, disfigure or disable, any person, or to do some grievous harm to any person, or to resist or prevent the lawful arrest or detention of any person-

(1) unlawfully wounds or does any grievous harm to any person by any means whatever; or

(2) unlawfully attempts in any manner to strike any person with any kind of projectile or with a spear, sword, knife, or other dangerous or offensive weapon; or

(3) unlawfully causes any explosive substance to explode; or

(4) sends or delivers any explosive substance or other dangerous or noxious thing to any person; or

(5) causes any such substance or thing to be taken or received by any person; or

(6) puts any corrosive fluid or any destructive or explosive substance in any place; or

(7) unlawfully casts or throws any such fluid or substance at or upon any person, or otherwise applies any such fluid or substance to the person of any person; is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for life.

335. Any person who unlawfully does grievous harm to another is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.

Thus in Nigeria a person can be punished with imprisonment upto life for putting a corrosive fluid in any place or for unlawfully casting or throwing any such fluid at or upon any person even if no injury is caused.

1. Project Alert on Violence Against Women, 2004.

2. Acid Survivors Foundation Uganda, Mahesh and Parimaladevi v. State, decided on 10-4-2003 by the Madras High Court.