The Kano State High Court has sentenced four men to death by hanging after finding them guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, contrary to Sections 97 and 221(b) of the Penal Code.

The convicts — Abubakar Sadiq (also known as Alhaji Sallari), Abdulmajid Jibrin, Nasiru Sani, and Yusuf Sani — were found guilty of the brutal killing of Rilwanu Ilyasu, popularly known as Nanu, a mechanic who operated a garage in the Farawa Layout area of Kano metropolis. Two other suspects involved in the crime, identified as Nura Farin Boss and Dan Bayo, remain at large.

According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on 13 April 2016, when the deceased was attacked in his residence. The assailants used an axe and other dangerous weapons to inflict fatal injuries on Ilyasu.

The attack was reportedly motivated by an earlier grievance in which the first defendant accused the deceased of providing information to NDLEA operatives that led to his arrest and the seizure of illicit drugs and ?27,000.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by Safiya Yalwati Yahaya, Assistant Director of Public Prosecution at the Kano State Ministry of Justice, presented eight witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including the axe used in the attack.

The court, after evaluating the evidence, convicted all four men and handed them the death penalty.

The Ministry of Justice described the judgment as a reaffirmation of its commitment to upholding justice, aligning with the vision of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration to entrench fairness, accountability, and the rule of law under the leadership of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru Maude, SAN.

The information was shared by Abubakar Tijjani Ibrahim, Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, through his Facebook handle. (Tribune)