The Kebbi State High Court has sentenced to die by hanging, Mrs. Farida Abubakar, ex-wife to a Magistrate whom she stabbed to death.
Chief Magistrate Attahiru Muhammad Ibrahim was stabbed to death with a sharp object forced into his abdomen, neck and left arm.
Farida Abubakar committed the offence on 25th August 2022.
The main charges were filed before the court on 26th July 2023.
The prosecution presented 12 witnesses and tendered 8 exhibits including blood stained Hijab admitted in evidence by the court while the defence tendered two exhibits admitted in evidence.
Delivering judgement on Monday 3rd June 2024, Chief Judge Umar Abubakar said the court was convinced that the Accused committed the offence, according to evidence adduced by the prosecution.
The Chief Judge declared: “The defendant was last seen with the deceased in his house in Birnin Kebbi, shortly after, he was found dead. Circumstantial evidence linked the defendant to the offence” declared the judge.
“The burden of proof is on the prosecution to establish guilt against the accused person beyond reasonable doubt within the boundary of evidence adduced”, added Justice Abubakar.
“With the extra-judicial statement of the accused person and the testimony of 12 prosecution witnesses, the court is overwhelmingly convinced that the circumstantial evidence is an irresistible fact that she was the one who killed the deceased,” the Judge said.
“The deceased was last seen with the defendant alive alone. The evidence adduced is cogent, compelling, not controverted.
“Her Hijab was found smeared with blood. It was her intention of causing death; she knew death would be the consequent outcome of her action. The offence committed at a time the deceased was about to marry a new wife.
“The court is satisfied, it is clearly established that the defendant mercilessly planned and marshalled the attack with sharp object, obviously to cause death or knowing the consequence of her act to cause death or does not care.
“The court has found you guilty of culpable homicide and bodily harm, the court has convicted you as charged.
“The court has sentenced you to death by hanging in accordance with section 191(b) penal code law of Kebbi State. You are to be hanged by the neck until you are dead.
“The court has also sentenced you to seven years in prison for causing bodily harm in accordance with section 224 (1) of penal code law of Kebbi State.”
Defence counsel, Mudashiru Sani, holding brief for Abdulnasir Sallau, described the convict as a first-time offender with aged parents and a young daughter to look after.
He pleaded with the court to give her a light sentence, so that she can finish her time and come back to the society as a reformed individual.
However, the Prosecuting Counsel, the Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice, Lawal Hudu Garba, enjoined the court to follow the law to the letter in order to serve as a deterrent to others.
Defence counsel Mudashiru Sani has said his client would appeal the judgement of her conviction before the Court of Appeal in Sokoto.
