The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the death sentence passed on Kano State-based Kannywood actress, Miss Rabi Ismail, by a Kano State High Court and the Court of Appeal in Kaduna for allegedly drugging and drowning her boyfriend, Mr. Ibrahim Auwalu, in 2002.
Justice of the Supreme Court Francis Tabai, who delivered the lead judgment of the apex court, held that the actress was charged with culpable homicide of the deceased.
Justice Tabai added that having examined the alleged confessional statements of the accused actress as well as the witnesses’ depositions and the records of trial-within-trial, the apex court did not see any reason to interfere with the decisions of the High Court and the Court of Appeal on the matter which concurrently found Ismail guilty of culpable homicide.
The apex court consequently affirmed and upheld the death sentence hanging on the Kannywood actress’ head.
Ismail was arraigned before the Kano High Court in 2002 and charged with culpable homicide. According to the prosecutor, the offence is contrary to section 221 (b) of the Penal Code.
She was alleged to have drugged the deceased, Ibrahim Auwalu, a.k.a Zazu), by giving him a doped Eclairs sweet later made the deceased lose consciousness. The alleged act was said to had taken place on or about December 25, 2002.
Ismail was represented at the apex court by her lawyer, Mr. Taiwo Taiwo, just as the state was represented by Ms. Binta Lawal of the Kano State Directorate of Public Prosecution.
Reacting to the judgment, Lawal stated that, the state was not celebrating the decision of the apex court, noting as an agent of justice, that the Kano State DPP was only interested in justice for the deceased as well as justice for the accused.
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