The Kano State High Court has sentenced the Proprietor of Nobel Kids Academy and North West Preparatory School, Abdulmalik Tanko, to death by hanging.
The court also convicted Tanko to five years imprisonment for four-count charge levelled against him.
Tanko is the principal suspect, who masterminded the kidnap and killing of 5-year-old school pupil, Hanifa Abubakar.
Also, the second defendant, Hashim Ishyaku, was sentenced to death by hanging and four years imprisonment, two years each, for conspiracy and concealment.
Recall that Abdulmalik Tanko, Hashim Isyaku and Fatima Musa, were arraigned on February 14, this year on five count charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, confinement and culpable homicide, contrary to section 97, 274, 277, 221 of the penal code.
Delivering Judgement on Thursday, Justice Usman Na’aba, said the five-count charge included the kidnapping of Hanifa Abubakar, attempt to kidnap her, counselling to Kidnap her, abatement, and poisoning her to death.
Justice Na’aba found guilty the 2nd and 3rd accused Persons, Hashim Isiyaku and Fatima Musa guilty in four counts charges in the case of the Murder of the Five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar sometimes last year.
In his acceptance speech, prosecution counsel, who doubles as Kano Attorney General, Barrister Musa Abdullahi Lawan, described Hanifa’s murder as a crime against humanity and prayed the court to ensure justice for the killing of the underage girl.
Hanifa was kidnapped on December 4, 2021, held her hostage and emotionally tortured her for days in her proprietor’s house at Tudun Murtala Quarters, Kano.
On December 10, 2021, the principal suspect killed the 5-year-old girl with rat poison, slaughtered her corpse and put her into a sack.
The second defendant, Ishyaku, buried the remains of Hanifa in a shallow grave at the premises of Northwest Preparatory School, situated at Kwanar Yan Ghana Tudun Murtala, Kano.
The defendants collected the sum of N100,000 ransom out of the N6 million earlier requested, according to the Prosecutor and Attorney General of Kano State, Abdullahi-Lawan.
Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje had earlier this year vowed to sign the death sentence without further delay if given by the court.
