A Kano State Upper Shari’a Court has sentenced 38-year-old Shafi’u Abubakar to death by hanging for allegedly setting a mosque on fire at Gadan Village in Gezawa Local Government Area of the state on May 15, 2024, in which 23 people died.
The presiding judge, Malam Halhalatu Khuza’i-Zakariyya, in his ruling on Monday, said Abubakar was found guilty of the offence and thereby convicted.
The convict was standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on mischief by fire, causing grievous hurt, attempted murder and culpable homicide.
Delivering his judgement, the judge added that the convict would also be subjected to 150 strokes of the cane, while his tricycle shall be sold by the state government, using the money to fix the burnt mosque.
According to him, the convict would die by hanging for murder, 100 strokes of cane for attempted murder, a fine of N1,500 for causing grievous hurt, and 50 strokes of the cane for mischief by fire.
Related Articles:
- Yoruba youths reject Sharia Courts in South-West, warn Sultan of Sokoto
- Kano retires court registrar, sacks security guard over N.2m bribe
- Zamfara dismisses allegation of prosecuting female Christian convert
The judge held that out of the seven witnesses presented by the prosecution, only the testimonies of two witnesses proved the case beyond a reasonable doubt, while the burn on the defendant’s hand also proved he committed the act.
The offences according to him contravene the provisions of Sections 142, 148, 168, and 370 of the Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law, 2000.
He noted further that the defendant has only 30 days to appeal the judgement.
The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to all the charges.
In her response, the defence counsel, Hasiya Mohammad, pleaded for leniency and requested the defendant to be taken to the Janguza Maximum Custodial Centre.
