The High Court of Kebbi State in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, on Monday, sentenced a woman, Farida Abubakar, to death by hanging for killing her former husband, Attahiru Muhammad-Ibrahim, who was a chief magistrate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ms Abubakar was first brought to court at the preliminary stage of the case on 25 August 2022 before the main charge was filed against her on 26 July 2023.
The prosecution said that the convict stabbed Mr Muhammad-Ibrahim with a sharp object on his abdomen, neck and left arm which led to his death.
Delivering judgment, the Chief Judge of the State, Umar Abubakar, who adjudicated on the case, held that the court was convinced that the accused person based on the evidence adduced by the prosecution.
Circumstantial evidence
The judge relied on circumstantial evidence to find her guilty.
“The defendant was last seen with the deceased in his house in Birnin Kebbi shortly after he was found dead.
“Circumstantial evidence linked the defendant to the offence.
“The burden of proof is on the prosecution to establish guilt against the accused person beyond reasonable doubt within the boundary of evidence adduced.
“With the extra judicial statement of the accused person and the testimony of 12 prosecution witnesses, the court is overwhelmingly convinced that the circumstantial evidence is an irresistible fact that she was the one who killed the deceased.
“The evidence adduced is cogent, compelling, not controverted.
”Her Hijab was found smeared with blood. It was her intention to kill him. She knew death will be the consequences of her action. The offence was committed at a time the deceased was about to marry a new wife.
“The court is satisfied, it is clearly established that the defendant mercilessly planned and marshalled the attack with a sharp object, obviously to cause death or knowing the consequence of her act to cause death or does not care.
“The court has found you guilty of culpable homicide and bodily harm, the court has convicted you as charged.
“The court has sentenced you to death by hanging in accordance with section 191(b) penal code law of Kebbi State. You are to be hanged by the neck until you are dead.
“The court has also sentenced you to seven years in prison for causing bodily harm in accordance with section 224 (1) of Penal Code Law of Kebbi State,” the judge read out in the judgment.
Plea for mercy
In mitigation, the defence counsel, Mudashiru Sani, holding brief for Abdulnasir Sallau, described the convict as a first-time offender with aged parents.
The counsel said that the convict was her parents’ caregiver and also has a young daughter in need of motherly care.
He pleaded with the court to give the convict lighter sentence, so that she could finish her time and come back to the society as a reformed individual, considering her age.
In reply, the prosecuting counsel, who is the Director, Public Prosecutions, Kebbi State Ministry of Justice, Lawal Hudu-Garba, urged the court to follow the law strictly to serve as deterrence to others from committing the same heinous offence.
The judge went on to impose the maximum sentence for murder as stipulated by the law.
Shortly after the judgment, the defence counsel, Mr Sani, said his client would appeal the verdict. (NAN).