A Kano State High Court has sentenced two young men to death for poisoning, stabbing and burning their employer’s body, while a third defendant received seven years in prison for helping to conceal the killing.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Fatima Adamu on Monday, followed the conviction of Adamu Aliyu, 22, and Mubarak Abdulsalam, 20, for criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide in the killing of their employer, Dahiru Musa, 32.
A third defendant, Sadiq Sunusi, 19, was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for abetting the crime and participating in the burning of the deceased’s corpse.
The case arose from an incident at Gaida Yan Kusa Quarters, Kano, on September 29, 2024. Prosecuting counsel, Salisu Muhammad-Tahir, the state Solicitor-General, told the court that Aliyu and Abdulsalam conspired to kill Musa, who employed Aliyu.
The prosecution alleged that the pair first poisoned the victim with rat poison before stabbing him repeatedly with knives.
The alleged attempt to conceal the crime continued the following day. Muhammad-Tahir told the court that Sunusi accompanied Abdulsalam to Gaida Quarters, where they purchased petrol before proceeding to an uncompleted building. Abdulsalam allegedly used the fuel to burn Musa’s body.
Sunusi was accused of knowing that the remains belonged to a human being but failing to report the incident to the authorities.
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Evidence that secured the convictions
The prosecution called five witnesses and presented several exhibits, including knives, confessional statements and a video, to support its case.
Justice Adamu held that the prosecution had established the charges beyond reasonable doubt. She condemned the killing and the subsequent burning of the body, describing the conduct as inhumane and wicked.
The defendants had pleaded not guilty. Their counsel, Mustafa Idris, presented them as witnesses and appealed for leniency during the sentencing proceedings.
Aliyu and Abdulsalam were convicted under the provisions of the Penal Code relating to criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide, while Sunusi was convicted for abetment.
What happens after the judgment?
The court granted the convicts 90 days to appeal if they were dissatisfied with the decision. This means the sentences are not necessarily the final stage of the legal process.
Under Nigeria’s criminal justice system, a death sentence does not automatically lead to immediate execution. The convicted persons retain the right to challenge their convictions and sentences through the appellate courts.
The case also highlights the legal distinction between directly participating in a killing and assisting in its concealment. Although Sunusi was not sentenced for culpable homicide, the court found him criminally responsible for his role in the aftermath of the crime.
The appeal period now offers the defendants an opportunity to contest the court’s findings, while the case serves as a reminder that helping to conceal a serious crime can itself attract substantial criminal punishment.
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