On Monday, a High Court in Birnin Kebbi sentenced Farida Abubakar to death by hanging for the murder of her former husband, Chief Magistrate Attahiru Muhammad-Ibrahim.
According to reports, Abubakar was initially arraigned for murder on August 25, 2022, with the main charge filed on July 26, 2023. The prosecution stated that Abubakar stabbed Muhammad-Ibrahim in the abdomen, neck, and left arm with a sharp object, leading to his death.
Chief Judge Justice Umar Abubakar, who presided over the case, concluded that the evidence presented by the prosecution was convincing. “The defendant was last seen with the deceased in his house in Birnin Kebbi, and shortly after, he was found dead,” the judge noted, adding that circumstantial evidence strongly implicated the accused.
The prosecution provided an overwhelming amount of evidence, including the testimonies of 12 witnesses and the defendant’s extrajudicial statement. The judge highlighted that Abubakar’s hijab was found smeared with blood, indicating her intention to kill. The crime was committed when the deceased was about to marry a new wife.
Justice Abubakar found Farida Abubakar guilty of culpable homicide and bodily harm, sentencing her to death by hanging under Section 191(b) of the Kebbi State Penal Code Law. Additionally, she received a seven-year prison sentence for causing bodily harm under Section 224(1) of the same law.
In mitigation, defense counsel Mudashiru Sani, representing Abdulnasir Sallau, described Abubakar as a first-time offender with aged parents and a young daughter in need of her care. He pleaded for a lighter sentence, considering her role as a caregiver.
However, the prosecuting counsel, Lawal Hudu-Garba, urged the court to apply the full extent of the law to deter others from committing similar offenses.
Following the judgment, Sani announced plans to appeal the verdict on behalf of his client.
