A Kano State High Court has sentenced a 22-year-old man, Sagiru Rijiyar-Zaki, to death by hanging for murdering his stepmother and sister.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu delivered the verdict on Tuesday at the court sitting in Kano. She ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“The prosecution’s evidence was clear and convincing,” the judge said. “This court finds the defendant guilty and sentences him to death by hanging.”
The incident occurred on January 7, 2023, at Rijiyar Zaki Quarters in Kano following a domestic dispute.
According to the prosecution, led by state counsel Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, the convict stabbed his stepmother, Rabiatu Sagir, in the neck with a screwdriver.
He later strangled his younger sister, Munawara, with a scarf, resulting in her death.
Two witnesses testified for the prosecution, and material evidence was presented during the trial.
Rijiyar-Zaki, a resident of Kutama Village in Gwarzo Local Government Area, denied the charges throughout the proceedings.
His defence counsel, Mubarak Abubakar, argued that the defendant did not commit the crimes. The court, however, dismissed the claims.
The case was charged under Section 221(a) of the Kano State Penal Code Law of 1991, which mandates the death penalty for culpable homicide.
The court ordered that the sentence be carried out according to law. Relatives of the victims were present during the judgment but declined to speak with the media.
Legal observers in Kano described the ruling as a strong message on the sanctity of life and the consequences of domestic violence.
“This judgment reinforces justice for victims,” a legal practitioner outside the court remarked. “It also affirms the seriousness of homicide cases in the state.”
