Kano court sentences two men to death for killing employer, burning corpse

A Kano State High Court has sentenced two men, Adamu Aliyu, 22, and Mubarak Abdulsalam, 20, to death by hanging for the murder of their employer, Dahiru Musa, 32.

The court also sentenced a third defendant, Sadiq Sunusi, 19, to seven years’ imprisonment for abetting the burning of the deceased’s corpse in an attempt to conceal the crime.

Justice Fatima Adamu, who delivered the judgment, convicted Aliyu and Abdulsalam on two counts of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, while Sunusi was found guilty of a one-count charge of abetment.

The judge held that the prosecution had established its case against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

She described their actions, particularly the poisoning, stabbing, and subsequent burning of the deceased’s body to conceal evidence, as inhumane and wicked.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel, Salisu Muhammad-Tahir, who is also the Kano State Solicitor-General, told the court that the offence was committed on September 29, 2024, at Gaida Yan Kusa Quarters, Kano.

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He said the first and second defendants conspired to kill Musa, who was Aliyu’s employer, by allegedly poisoning him with rat poison before stabbing him several times with knives.

According to the prosecution, on September 30, 2024, at about 6 p.m., Sunusi escorted Abdulsalam to Gaida Quarters, where they purchased petrol before proceeding to an uncompleted building.

Muhammad-Tahir said Abdulsalam subsequently used the petrol to set the deceased’s corpse ablaze, while Sunusi, despite knowing that it was a human body, failed to report the incident to the relevant authorities.

To establish its case, the prosecution called five witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including knives, confessional statements, and video evidence.

The prosecution said the offences contravened Sections 97, 221 and 86 of the Penal Code.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Their defence counsel, Mustafa Idris, presented them to testify and urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

Justice Adamu granted the convicts 90 days within which to appeal the judgment if they are dissatisfied with the decision.