KANO (North-West, Nigeria) — A Kano High Court, has on Friday, sentenced one Shuaibu Abdulkadir, to death by hanging for slaughtering a 23-year-old housewife, Rumasa’u Shuaibu, to death.
Abdulkadir, a resident of Chediyar Kuda, Shauchi Quarters, Kano, was convicted on a one-count charge of culpable homicide.
Delivering judgment, Justice Farida Rabiu-Danbappa, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“I found Shuaibu Abdulkadir guilty. I hereby sentenced the convict to death by hanging for culpable homicide.
“May Allah have mercy on your soul. You have 90 days to appeal” The judge ruled
Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Basiru Kabiru-Ali, told the court that the convict committed the offence on April 6, 2025, at Tsamiyar Duhuwa Mariri by Farawa Quarters in Kano.
He said that on the same date at about 7:30 a.m Abdulkadir caused the death of Rumasa’u by slaughtering her with a sharp knife after tying her neck.
He told the court that the deceased was a friend of the defendant’s girlfriend.
The prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered seven exhibits including confessional statement, photograph and mobile phone of the deceased to prove their case against the defendant.
The convict, however, denied committing the offence.
Kabiru-Ali said the offence contravenes the provision of Section 221 of the Penal Code.
The defense counsel, Mr Mustapha Idris, presented the convict to testify in his own defence.
Idris pleaded for leniency on behalf of the defendant, describing him as a first-time offender who had expressed remorse of his actions.
In a related development, a Kano High Court discharged and acquitted one Francis Obodu, who was charged with armed robbery and unlawful possession of a gun.
Obodu, whose age and address was not provided by the court, was standing trial on three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a pistol gun.
The prosecution counsel, Abdullahi Aminu, told the court that the defendant committed the offence on May 8, 2022, at Kings Garden, Brigade Quarters, Kano.
He alleged that at about 7:30 p.m. on the same date, the defendant conspired with one Moses Onu now at large, robbed one Jennifer Okoh in her shop situated at Kings Garden Kano.
“The duo attacked Okoh and put her in fear of losing her life, robbed her of her handset, valuable items and unspecified amount of money and were also found in possession of a pistol”.
The prosecution called one witness to prove his case.
Aminu said the offence contravened Section 97, 298 and section 3(1) Robbery and Firearms(Special Provision Act) LFN 2004.
The defendant denied committing the offence.
The defence counsel, Mr Haruna Saleh-Zakariyya called his client to testify in his defence.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Farida Rabiu-Danbappa held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge said the evidence presented by the prosecution had no essential ingredients and failed to present credible evidence linking the defendant to the alleged robbery.
“The defendant, Francis Obodu, is hereby found not guilty of the three-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery and unlawful possession of gun preferred against him.
” He is hereby discharged and acquitted.” she ruled.
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