Nigeria: Court Sentences Mallam to Death By Hanging

Ado-Ekiti — An Ado Ekiti High Court has passed a judgement of death by hanging against one Mallam Usman Sule for allegedly killing his housemate, Mallam Mohammed Sheu at Aramoko Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government area of the state.

The two neighbours who are from Sokoto State were said to have engaged each other in a minor scuffle about a year ago until it degenerated into a full blown crisis, which eventually led to the death of Mohammed Sheu.


Delivering his judgement, the trial Judge, Justice John Adeyeye said he was convinced that the accused person was actually responsible for the death of his housemate based on the preponderance of evidence before him.

According to the judge, Sule was found guilty of murder and conspiracy based on the avalanche of evidence presented before him by the prosecuting Counsel, Mr Olufemi Alabi, a Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in the Ekiti State Judiciary.

Justice Adeyeye further noted that the evidence adduced by their co-neighbour during cross examination was convincing enough to indict the accused. Baderinwa had argued during the trial that Sule did not commit the crime, saying only post mortem examination could reveal the true cause of Mohammed's death.

She prayed the court to discountenance the evidence of the witnesses, saying they lack scientific proofs and legal validity.

Dismissing the position canvassed by the Counsel to the defendant, Barr. Alabi said Sule had earlier threatened to kill the deceased on the fateful day , reminding the Court that their co-neighbour had given evidence in this regard.

In his judgement, the trial Judge said the evidences of the three other witnesses and that of their co-neighbour as presented by the prosecution counsel were strong enough to sentence the accused person. The Judge added that the resistance from the deceased's family that post mortem examination should not be conducted on him to ascertain the course of his death, was not enough obstacle to discountenance the evidence of the co-neighbour.

Relying on these evidence, the Judge thereby passed the verdict that the accused person is guilty and that he should die by hanging.His family had claimed during the trial that it was a taboo to perform such a test on him due to their religious inclination in Sokoto.

Source: allafrica