Jigawa court sentences three men to death by hanging for armed robbery, murder

• Another bags 10 years for sodomy
Jigawa High Court sitting in Kaugama has convicted and sentenced one Suleiman Bello, Auwalu Muhammed and Yakubu Muhammed to death, by hanging, for armed robbery and murder.

The convicts were arraigned on a nine-count charge of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and armed robbery through the use of firearms.

They were alleged to have conspired, attacked and killed one Audu Saje, ‘m’, of Manda village from Kaugama Local Council and made away with his boxer motorcycle.

They also abducted one Hadiza Abdullahi, ‘f,’ of Marma town in Kirikasamma Local Council and requested a ransom of N150 million.

During a raid at the defendants’ hideout camp, three AK 47 rifles, one General-Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), nine magazines, 309 live ammunitions; the sum of N2.070 million only and a boxer motorcycle, belonging to the late Audu Saje were found in the possession of the defendants.

In his judgment, Justice M. M Kaugama held that the prosecution, led by the Attorney-General of Jigawa State, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, had successfully proved offences of criminal conspiracies to commit culpable homicide and armed robbery, culpable homicide, armed robbery and illegal possession of firearms against the first, third and fourth defendants (Suleiman Bello, Auwalu Muhammed and Yakubu Muhammed), through circumstantial evidence of five witnesses that testified before the court and that the motorcycle of late Audu Saje was found in their hideout camp.

The judge sentenced the first, third and fourth defendants to death by hanging for the offence of culpable homicide under section 221(a) of the Penal Code Law of Jigawa State, death by hanging for the offence of armed robbery under section 1(2) of the firearms (Special Provision) Act, Law of the Federation and 10 years imprisonment for the offence of illegal possession of firearms under section 3 (1) of the same law.

The court held further that the prosecution failed to prove the charge of abduction and theft against the defendants.

However, the court discharged and acquitted the second defendant, Ya’u Mai Hatsi, on all the counts.

In another judgment, Justice M.A Sambo of High Court No. 3, sentenced one Mustapha Isa of Auramo Quarters, Ringim Local Council to 10 years imprisonment for the offence of sodomy, punishable under section 4(2) of the Penal Code (miscellaneous amendment) Law of Jigawa State, 2014.

The defendant was alleged to have lured an 11-year-old boy and assaulted him inside a shop.

On arraignment, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge. To prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant as required by the law, the prosecution called five witnesses and tendered four exhibits.

The exhibits tendered included: a medical report and confessional statements. At the close of the prosecution case, the defendant opened his defence and testified for himself as Defence Witness (DW1) and called one witness as DW2 and closed his case.

While delivering the judgment on March 30, 2023, Justice Sambo held that the prosecuting counsel, Kabiru Abdullahi, proved the charge beyond reasonable doubt against the defendant.