Court sentences 31-year-old-man to death by hanging

A Kano High Court on Friday sentenced a 31-year-old-man, Isma’il Umar to death by hanging for stabbing his friend to death over a misunderstanding.

Delivering judgment, Justice Nura Sagir said that from evidences before the court, the prosecutor proved its case of culpable homicide against the accused.

According to him, the evidences presented before the court with the exhibits tendered by the prosecution as well as the defence linked the accused to the offence, punishable by death.

He, therefore, sentenced the accused to death by hanging.

The judge, however, recommended that the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy could look into the matter and if possible to commute the jail term to 35 years imprisonment.

He said this was because of the plea made by the accused counsel that the accused had been in detention for 11 years, and that the convict was now an adult to realise the consequences of his action.

Dr Isa Musa, the medical doctor in charge of post-mortem test at the Murtala Mohammed Hospital, Kano, had earlier testified that the deceased died as a result of stabbing.

The accused had earlier denied committing the offence.

Speaking with newsmen, the prosecution counsel, Mr Abdullahi Bature said the judgment was timely and in accordance with the rule of law.

In his remarks, the defence counsel, Mr Ibrahim Cedi said his client was convicted based on the evidences before the court.

He, however, commended the judge for recommending that the Committee on Prerogative of Mercy could look into the possibility of commuting the sentence to 35 years imprisonment.