22-year-Old Sentenced To Death For Killing Neighbour In Kano

A Kano State High Court has  sentenced a 22-year-old man, Najibullah Alkasim, to death by hanging for killing his neighbour, Isyaku Ya’u, during a dispute in 2024.

Justice Farida Dabappa, who delivered the judgement yesterday, held that the prosecution had established a case of culpable homicide against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.

She ruled that Alkasim intentionally caused the death of the victim by stabbing him in the chest with a screwdriver.

“I hereby sentence Alkasim to death by hanging for stabbing the deceased to death,” the judge ruled.

Prosecution counsel, Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, told the court that the incident occurred on January 19, 2024, at Dawakin Dakata Quarters, Kano. He said a misunderstanding broke out between the convict and the deceased during a neighbourhood celebration of an election tribunal victory.

“In the process, the defendant stabbed the deceased on the chest with a sharp, pointed screwdriver, which led to his death,” he said.

The prosecution called four witnesses and tendered a medical report, photographs, the screwdriver used in the attack, and the convict’s confessional statement as exhibits.

Abba-Sorondinki noted that the offence contravened Section 221(a) of the Penal Code.

The convict however denied committing the offence.

His counsel, Tasiu Daneji, presented two witnesses in his defence.