Justice Served: Kano Court Imposes Death Sentence for Grisly Murder

A Kano High Court on Friday delivered judgments in two separate cases, sentencing one individual to death for culpable homicide and acquitting another charged with armed robbery. Justice Farida Rabiu-Danbappa presided over both cases, rendering her decisions on the same day.

In the first case, Shuaibu Abdulkadir, a resident of Chediyar Kuda, Shauchi Quarters, was sentenced to death by hanging after being found guilty of a one-count charge of culpable homicide. The court found that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, justifying the capital punishment against the convict. Abdulkadir was given a 90-day period to appeal the judgment.

The prosecution counsel, Basiru Kabiru-Ali, informed the court that Abdulkadir committed the offence on April 6, 2025, at Tsamiyar Duhuwa Mariri by Farawa Quarters in Kano. At approximately 7:30 a.m. on that date, Abdulkadir caused the death of 23-year-old housewife Rumasa’u Shuaibu by slaughtering her with a sharp knife after tying her neck. It was revealed that the deceased was a friend of the defendant’s girlfriend. To substantiate their case, the prosecution presented three witnesses and tendered seven exhibits, which included a confessional statement, a photograph, and the mobile phone of the deceased. The offence committed was stated to contravene the provisions of Section 221 of the Penal Code. The defense counsel, Mustapha Idris, pleaded for leniency, portraying Abdulkadir as a first-time offender who had expressed remorse for his actions.

Conversely, in a separate proceeding, Francis Obodu was discharged and acquitted of charges including conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a pistol gun. The prosecution counsel, Abdullahi Aminu, had alleged that Obodu committed the offence on May 8, 2022, at Kings Garden, Brigade Quarters, Kano. According to the allegations, at about 7:30 p.m. on the said date, Obodu conspired with one Moses Onu, who is currently at large, to rob Jennifer Okoh in her shop at Kings Garden. The duo were accused of attacking Okoh, putting her in fear of losing her life, and robbing her of her handset, valuable items, and an unspecified amount of money. They were also alleged to have been found in possession of a pistol. These alleged offences were cited to contravene Sections 97 and 298 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 3(1) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision Act) LFN 2004.

Despite the allegations, Obodu denied committing the offence, and his defense counsel, Mr Haruna Saleh-Zakariyya, called his client to testify in his defense. Justice Farida Rabiu-Danbappa, in delivering her judgment, held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The judge stated that the evidence presented by the prosecution lacked essential ingredients and failed to provide credible evidence linking Obodu to the alleged robbery. Consequently, Justice Danbappa declared,