Court sentences five men to death for killing woman over witchcraft accusation in Kano

A Kano state high court has sentenced five men to death by hanging for the murder of Dahare Abubakar, a 67-year-old woman, whom they accused of being a witch.

Usman Na’abba, the presiding judge, ruled on Monday that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, convicting Da’luta Ibrahim, Abdulaziz Yahaya, Faisal Yahaya, Ibrahim Abdu, and Ayuba Abdulrahman of culpable homicide.

“I hereby sentence the defendants to death by hanging for homicide and acquit Nabi’a Ibrahim, the sixth defendant, as evidence shows she was not at the scene,” the judge ruled.

Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, the prosecution counsel, told the court that the men committed the crime on November 15, 2023, in Dadin Kowa village, Wudil, Kano.

He said the defendants conspired around 8:30 am on the same day after suspecting the victim of practising witchcraft.

“In the process, the defendants followed her to the farm and stabbed her to death with dangerous weapons,” he told the court.

He added that she was rushed to Wudil General Hospital, where she was confirmed dead.

The prosecution counsel presented four witnesses and submitted two exhibits, including the defendants’ extra-judicial statements and a medical report confirming the victim’s death, while the defendants denied committing the crime.

Abba-Sorondinki argued that the actions of the five suspects contravened section 221(a), read with section 79 of the Penal Code Laws of Kano state, 1991.

Ma’aruf Yakasai, the defence counsel, called eight witnesses, including the defendants, to testify on their behalf.