A Kano State High Court has acquitted a 35-year-old man, Inusa Rabo, accused of killing a 55-year-old man, after a psychiatrist testified that he has been receiving treatment for mental illness for more than a decade.
Key Highlights
- A Kano High Court acquits Inusa Rabo, 35, of culpable homicide.
- A psychiatrist testified that he has treated Rabo for mental illness for more than 10 years.
- The court ruled the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
- Rabo’s relatives must sign an undertaking to ensure he continues psychiatric treatment.
- The judge commended defence counsel for handling the case pro bono.
Justice Fatima Adamu, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the charge of culpable homicide against Rabo beyond reasonable doubt.
The court, however, directed Rabo’s relatives to sign an undertaking to ensure that he continues receiving psychiatric treatment and takes his medication regularly.
Rabo, a resident of Kadawa Quarters in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, had been accused of striking Sa’idu Haruna on the head with a stick, resulting in his death.
Psychiatrist’s Evidence
The judge said medical evidence presented by Dr. Adamu Aliyu, a psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dawanau, supported the defendant’s history of mental illness.
Dr. Aliyu told the court that he has been treating Rabo for more than 10 years. A medical certificate tendered by the defence also indicated that the defendant had a history of mental illness spanning over a decade.
In her ruling, Justice Adamu said the evidence before the court establishes the defendant’s mental health history and that the prosecution had failed to establish the charge beyond reasonable doubt.
She subsequently discharged and acquitted him. The judge said the court has a responsibility to protect society, while ensuring that justice was served, stressing the importance of the evidence presented during the trial.
She also commended Rabo’s defence counsel, Haruna Saleh-Zakariyya, for handling the case pro bono and presenting a medical expert to testify.
Justice Adamu urged other lawyers to demonstrate similar diligence and professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
How the Trial Unfolded
During trial, the prosecution, led by Hafsat Ada’u-Kutama, told the court that the alleged incident occurred at Kadawa Quarters on September 1, 2024.
According to the prosecution, Rabo allegedly struck Haruna on the head with a stick at about 1:50 p.m., inflicting injuries that led to his death.
Haruna was subsequently taken to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, where he was confirmed dead.
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The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered three exhibits in support of the charge, which it said contravened Section 221 of the Penal Code.
The defence called three witnesses, including the defendant and the psychiatrist, and tendered three exhibits, among them the medical certificate documenting his history of mental illness.
After considering the evidence presented by both sides, the court held that the prosecution had not proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted Rabo.
The court’s order requiring his relatives to ensure continued psychiatric treatment followed the acquittal.
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