FROM UTHMAN BABA SIRAJDEEN MINNA
A Minna High Court has sentenced Hamza Mohammed , 31 year old to death by hanging after he was found guilty of two count charges which bothered on joint act and culpable homicide.
He was found guilty by the by the Chief Judge of Niger State Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik who sentenced him accordingly.
The incident was said to have occurred during a free for all fight that erupted in a party between youths of Kpakungu area of Minna and youths of Barikin Saleh where one Isah Mohammed was stabbed to death by one Baba Usman (now at large).
Baba Usman was said to have pursued the deceased with a knife along with the convict Hamza Mohammed until Baba Usman stabbed Isah Mohammed severally which resulted to his death on the spot.
He was arraigned in court in August 2015 by men of the Homicide squad of the Niger State Police Command on two count charges of joint act and culpable homicide, an offense punishable under section 79 and 221 of the penal code .
The convict however, denied participating in stabbing the deceased arguing that he and ” Baba Usman pursued the deceased but Baba Usman was the person that stabbed him before I came there only to meet the deceased in his own pool of blood”
He however admitted that himself and Baba Usman (now at large),both pursued the deceased with a knife in an effort to stab him, but Baba Usman had already stabbed him before he reached the spot where the deceased was killed.
In a two hour judgment delivered by the Presiding Judge , Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik who is also the chief judge of Niger State, held that the two count charges of joint act and culpable homicide punishable under section 221 and section 79 of the penal code was established against the convict Hamza Mohammed ” and is hereby sentenced and convict accordingly”.
She further held that the Prosecutor was able to proof the two count charges of joint act and culpable homicide punishable under section 79 and 221 punishable by death beyond every reasonable doubt and is hereby Convicted as charge.
” The case of culpable homicide punishable by death is mandatory. You Hamza Mohammed is hereby Convicted and sentenced to death by hanging until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on your soul” she asserted.
