An Upper Shari’a Court in Kano has sentenced Shafi’u Abubakar, a 38-year-old man, to death by hanging for setting a mosque on fire, killing 23 people.
The court also ordered that Abubakar receive 150 strokes of cane for the same offense.
The incident occurred on May 15, 2024, at Gadan Larabar Abasawa Village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano.
Abubakar was charged with culpable homicide, attempted murder, causing grievous hurt, and mischief by fire.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Kano State Ministry of Justice, Salisu Tahir, said the defendant committed the offence at Gadan Larabar Abasawa Village, Gezawa Local Government Kano, on May 15, 2024.
He said on the same date the defendant went to a mosque in Gadan Larabar Abasawa Village, poured petrol, and lighted a fire while the 23 victims were praying from about 5:05 am to 5:20 am.
Tahir said at about 5:15 am, the defendant attempted to kill Shu’aibu Ibrahim and Ibrahim Sani when he poured petrol and lighted a fire around them.
“The victims were rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano and 23 people later died.”
Tahir presented seven prosecution witnesses and also tendered the defendant’s confessional statement in English and Hausa languages, and pictures of the victims as exhibit.
The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 142, 148, 168, and 370 of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law, 2000.
The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Responding, the Defence Counsel, Hasiya Muhammad-Imam, pleaded for leniency on behalf of Abubakar and urged the court to transfer him to the Maximum Security Custodial Centre Janguza.
While delivering the judgment, Malam Khuza’i-Zakariyya, stated that seven witnesses presented by the prosecution, only the testimonies of two witnesses proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the Judge, the testimonies of Pw1, Pw2, Pw3, Pw5, and Pw6 were mere stories, while citing Islamic inscription, noted that they were not present when the incident occurred, they only heard about it and some only saw the fire in the mosque.
However, the court admits the testimony of Pw4, Ibrahim Salisu. He earlier told the court that he did not see the defendant setting the mosque on fire but saw him running. I hereby admit this as circumstantial evidence.
Khuza’i-Zakariyya also accepted the testimony of Pw7, Abdullahi Sa’idu, a police officer, for presenting the defendant’s confessional statement.
“The burns on the defendant’s hand also indicate he committed the offence. I hereby find the defendant guilty on all four counts,” he said.
The judge sentenced the defendant to death by hanging for murder and 100 strokes of cane for attempted murder.
Khuza’i-Zakariyya, equally ordered the defendant to pay a fine of N1,500 for causing grievous hurt and 50 strokes of cane for mischief by fire.
The Judge also ordered the state government to collect the defendant’s tricycle and sell it to repair the said burnt mosque.
