A Kano State High Court has sentenced five men to death by hanging for the murder of 67-year-old Dahare Abubakar, whom they accused of being a witch.
The convicted individuals—Da’luta Ibrahim, Abdulaziz Yahaya, Faisal Yahaya, Ibrahim Abdu, and Ayuba Abdulrahman—were found guilty of culpable homicide.
Justice Usman Na’abba ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt.
While sentencing the men to death, the judge acquitted the sixth defendant, Nabi’a Ibrahim, citing a lack of evidence placing her at the crime scene.
The incident occurred on November 15, 2023, in Dadin Kowa Village, Wudil, Kano. According to prosecution counsel Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, the defendants conspired to kill Abubakar after suspecting her of witchcraft.
They followed her to the farm at approximately 8:30 a.m. and fatally stabbed her with dangerous weapons. The victim was later confirmed dead at Wudil General Hospital.
Abba-Sorondinki presented four witnesses and two exhibits, including the defendants’ extra-judicial statements and a medical report confirming the victim’s death. The defendants denied the charges.
The prosecution argued that the offense violated Section 221(a) in conjunction with Section 79 of the Penal Code Laws of Kano State, 1991.