29-year-old sentenced to death for killing stepmother in Kano

A high court in Kano state has sentenced one Sagiru Abdullahi to death by hanging for killing his 55-year-old stepmother, Zainab Dan’azumi.

Abdullahi, aged 29, was convicted on Thursday on a one-count charge of culpable homicide.

He was arrested in 2014 for killing his stepmother after he reportedly sneaked into her room.

Speaking when he was paraded at the time as a suspect, Abdullahi said he could not explain why he committed the crime.

“I stabbed her severally in the head region until she died. I cannot explain why I killed her,” he had said.

He had, however, accused the deceased of maltreating him and his siblings following the death of his mother.

In the course of the trial, Tijjani Ibrahim, the prosecution counsel, had earlier told the court that Abdullahi committed the offence in June 2014 at Kurmawa quarters in Kano state.

He said the convict inflicted several machete cuts on the victim’s head, leading to her death.

“The victim was rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, where she was confirmed dead by a doctor,” Ibrahim said.

The prosecution presented five witnesses and tendered six exhibits to prove the case against Abdullahi. 

Abdullahi called four witnesses in his defence.

Aisha Mahmoud, the presiding judge, held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.

The convict was thereafter sentenced to death.