Man Sentenced to Death for the Murder of His Ex-Wife

A High Court in Gombe State has found 25-year-old Hassan Mohammed from Falangaya village in the Dukku Local Government Area guilty of the murder of his former wife, Halima Sadiya Adamu. The court, chaired by Justice Abdulhamid Mohammed Yakubu of High Court No. 2, ruled that the accused was guilty of culpable homicide, as defined by Section 221 of the Penal Code Law.

The prosecution recounted that the tragic incident took place on March 25, 2025, at approximately 1 PM. Reports indicated that the defendant attacked his ex-wife with a knife, fatally slitting her throat when she rejected his request to remarry him.

Barrister Abubakar Jungudo, the Director of Public Prosecutions who led the state's legal representation, indicated that the crime directly contravened Section 221 of the Penal Code. Initially, when the charges were presented, the defendant pleaded not guilty.

Throughout the trial, six witnesses were called by the prosecution, providing testimonies regarding the circumstances of the crime. The knife believed to have been used in the murder was submitted in court and accepted as evidence.

The defense attorney, Barrister Habib Alkali, cross-examined all prosecution witnesses. Subsequently, the defense presented Hassan Mohammed as their sole witness, during which he denied committing the crime, but was later cross- examined by the prosecution.

In delivering his verdict, Justice Yakubu stated that the prosecution had established its case beyond a reasonable doubt. He determined that Hassan Mohammed was guilty of culpable homicide for the unlawful killing of his ex- wife.

The judge sentenced the defendant in accordance with Section 221 of the Penal Code, highlighting the consistency of witness testimonies, the physical evidence presented, the defendant's confessional statement, and the results from the police investigation.