Court Sentenced Man To Death By Hanging For Killing a 6-year-old Girl

Bauchi State High Court yesterday sentenced a 40-year-old Ibrahim Idris to death by hanging, for killing a six-year-old girl after failing in his attempt to rape her. Idris was dragged to the court, presided over by Justice Yelim Bogoro, by the state Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Dawud Yakubu, who charged him with culpable homicide, an offence contrary to section 221 of the state law.

Dawud told the court that on September 14, 2012, the accused called the deceased, Asiya Mohammed, into his room with the intention to rape her. He said when she refused, he used a knife to sever her head, put it in a polythene bag and threw it into a water channel.

He said the body of the deceased was recovered and taken to General Hospital, Darazo, for post-mortem examination before it was later handed over to her parents for burial.

He called five witnesses and presented the axe and knife the accused used to cut the head of the deceased as exhibits and the witnesses testified that he made a confessional statement.

In her judgement, Justice Bogoro said the confessional statement of the accused was direct, adding that the prosecutor proved his case beyond all reasonable doubt and sentenced the accused to death by hanging.

Justice Bogoro said: “I, hereby, sentence you to death by hanging, but you have the right to appeal within 30 days.”