- The convicts were said to have conspired to attack Salamatu Musa with a stick after they accused the deceased of witchcraft
In Jigawa State, four people have been sentenced to death by hanging for killing one Salamatu Musa.
The accused, who were charged with criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, were convicted and sentenced by a Jigawa State High Court.
The conviction of the accused followed a drawn out litigation that began in 2019, when the convicts were first arrested and arraigned.
The convicts include a husband, wife, the wife’s brother, and her sister, were all found guilty of murdering 30-year-old Salamatu accused of witchcraft.
The accused, identified as Hassan Isah (55), Adama Yahaya (42), Abdullahi Yahaya (35), and Maryam Daso Yahaya (28), were all residents of Kwan-Dole Village, Mallam-Madori Local Government Area.
The convicts were said to have conspired to attack Salamatu Musa with a stick after they accused the deceased of witchcraft and her supposed diabolical acts caused the death of their son. Salamatu eventually died from the beating.
In his ruling, Justice Ado Yusuf Birnin-Kudu, said that the court found the accused guilty of committing the offence with full knowledge of its probable consequence; death.
He said the court hereby sentenced them to six years imprisonment each for criminal conspiracy and death by hanging for culpable homicide.
During the trial, the prosecution presented five witnesses, a medical report, and the convicts’ confessional statements. The evidence convinced the court beyond reasonable doubt of their guilt under Sections 97 and 221(b) of the Penal Code Laws.
Speaking on the judgment, the Director of Protocol and Publicity for the Jigawa State Judiciary, Abbas Rufa’i Wangara, said the judgment underscored the Judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all, irrespective of social or cultural beliefs.
Meanwhile, the convicts were granted 90 days to file an appeal against the judgment.
However, the ruling has drawn reactions from the public, with many expressing mixed feelings about the cultural and legal implications of the case
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