Court: Man Gets Death Sentence for Murdering Stepmother, Sister

A Kano High Court on Tuesday sentenced 22-year-old Sagiru Rijiyar-Zaki to death by hanging for the murder of his stepmother, Rabiatu Sagir, and his sister, Munawara, whom he strangled with a scarf.

Rijiyar-Zaki, a resident of Kutama Village in Gwarzo Local Government Area of Kano, was found guilty of culpable homicide. In delivering the verdict, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu ruled that the prosecution had successfully proven its case beyond reasonable doubt and handed down the death sentence.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, told the court that the crime took place on January 7, 2023, at Rijiyar Zaki Quarters in Kano.

He explained that around 8 p.m. that day, following a dispute, Rijiyar-Zaki fatally stabbed his stepmother in the neck with a screwdriver and later strangled his sister using her scarf.

The prosecution called two witnesses and submitted exhibits in support of its case against the defendant.

Rijiyar-Zaki, however, denied any involvement in the crime.

The prosecution stated that the offence violated Section 221(a) of the Kano State Penal Code Law, 1991.

Meanwhile, Defence Counsel Mr. Mubarak Abubakar called the convict to testify in his own defense.