Kano Court Acquits Man Charged With Murder

A Kano State High Court on Wednesday acquitted a 35-year-old man, Inusa Rabo, charged with the culpable homicide of a 55-year-old man, Sa’idu Haruna, after evidence of his history of mental illness was presented.

Justice Fatima Adamu, while delivering the judgment, held that the prosecution failed to prove the case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

The judge said the testimony of a psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dawanau, Kano, Dr Adamu Aliyu, supported the defendant’s history of mental illness.

She subsequently discharged and acquitted Rabo, who resides in Kadawa Quarters, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of the state.

“The defendant is hereby discharged and acquitted on the one-count charge of culpable homicide preferred against him,” she ruled.

However, the judge ordered the defendant’s relatives to sign an undertaking before the court to ensure that he continued receiving treatment at the neuropsychiatric hospital and took his medication regularly.

Adamu commended the defence counsel, Haruna Zakariyya, for handling the case on a pro bono basis and presenting a medical expert to testify.

She urged other legal practitioners to emulate the counsel by handling cases diligently and professionally.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Hafsat Kutama, told the court that Rabo committed the offence on September 1, 2024, at Kadawa Quarters, Kano.

She alleged that the defendant hit Haruna on the head with a stick at about 1:50pm on the day of the incident.

The deceased was subsequently rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, where he was confirmed dead, the prosecution said.

The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered three exhibits in support of its case.

The offence was said to contravene Section 221 of the Penal Code.

However, Rabo denied committing the offence, while the defence called three witnesses, including the defendant and Dr Aliyu.

The psychiatrist told the court that he had been treating Rabo for more than 10 years.

The defence also tendered three exhibits, including a medical certificate indicating that the defendant had a history of mental illness spanning over a decade.