A Kano State High Court on Thursday sentenced a school proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko, to death by hanging for the kidnap and killing of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar.
Isyaku Hashim, his conspirator, was also sentenced to death by hanging for concealment and kidnapping of the five-year-old.
The third defendant, Fatima Jibril, was however sentenced to two years for conspiracy and attempt.
Presiding Judge, Usman Na’abba, traced the details of the case from the date of arraignment to the final court sitting before pronouncing judgement on the accused individuals.
“The first defendant (Tanko) is hereby sentenced to death by hanging and additional 5 years for criminal conspiracy, he said.
“The second defendant (Hashim) is hereby sentenced to death by hanging and two years for conspiracy and another three years for attempt to kidnap.
“The third defendant (Fatima Musa), being a mother, has been sentenced to one year for attempt and one year for conspiracy.”
The trio of Abdulmalik alongside his accomplice, Hashim, and Musa, were arraigned on February 7 before the Kano State High court on a five-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, confinement, and culpable homicide contrary to sections 97, 274, 277, 221 of the penal code.
The prosecution counsel was led by the Kano State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, M.A Lawan while the defence counsel was led by Barrister Asiya Muhammad Imam of legal aid council.
Hanifa was abducted on December 4, 2021, on her way home from Islamiyya School and subsequently discovered to have been killed.
Earlier, Tanko confessed to kidnapping and killing the victim with N100 rat poison before burying her in a shallow grave in one of his schools. He however recanted later, admitting only to kidnapping her.
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