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Court sentences housewife to death by hanging for murdering her ex-husband
A High Court in Birnin Kebbi on Monday, June 3 sentenced a woman, Farida Abubakar, to death by hanging for killing her former husband, Chief Magistrate, Attahiru Muhammad-Ibrahim.
Farida was arraigned before the court for murder on Aug. 25, 2022, while the main charge was filed on July 26, 2023.
The prosecution said that the convict stabbed Chief Magistrate Muhammad-Ibrahim with a sharp object on his abdomen, neck and left arm which led to his death on the night of August 25, 2022 (read here).
Delivering judgment, the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Umar Abubakar, said: “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.
“The burden of proof is on the prosecution to establish guilt against the accused person beyond reasonable doubt within the boundary of evidence adduced.
“With the extra judicial statement of the accused person and the testimony of 12 prosecution witnesses, the court is overwhelming convinced that the circumstantial evidence is an irresistible fact that she was the one who killed the deceased.
“The evidence adduced is cogent, compelling, not controverted.
“Her Hijab was found smeared with blood. It was her intention to kill him. She knew death will be the consequences 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.