In Kano on Thursday, Chief Judge Justice Dije Abdu-Aboki sentenced five members of a vigilante group to death by hanging for beating and fatally stabbing 17-year-old Ahmed Musa.
The convictions of Korau Sani, Elisha Ayuba, Irimiya Timothy, Auwalu Jafar, and Mustafa Haladu, associated with the Sani Abacha Youth Centre, stemmed from charges of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
The incident occurred on January 22, 2022, at Sabon Titi Panshekara, Kano, around 10:00 a.m. Prosecution Counsel Mr. Lamido Sorondinki told the court that the defendants, arriving in a tricycle, conspired to attack Ahmed while he crossed Sabon Titi Panshekara Road.
They beat him with a long wooden stick and, during the struggle, the first defendant used a sharp knife to stab Ahmed in the neck. The assailants then placed Ahmed in the tricycle and took him away.
The victim suffered severe injuries and a swollen face. He was initially taken to Kutau Police Division and later rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano, where a doctor confirmed his death.
The prosecution presented five witnesses during the trial, supporting their case against the defendants.
While the defendants denied the charges, claiming they intended to arrest Ahmed due to complaints against him, the court found them guilty.
Defense counsel Mr. Ahmad Muhammad presented six witnesses, including the defendants, to support their case.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Dije Abdu-Aboki sentenced the defendants to two years imprisonment for conspiracy and death by hanging for homicide.
The ruling was based on the court’s determination that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, citing violations of Section 97 and 221(b) of the Penal Code.
