Court sentence man to death for killing father in Kogi

A High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, has sentenced 24-year-old Dahiru Yusuf Abbah to death by hanging for killing his father, Dahiru Yusuf, in the Sarkin-Noma area of the state.

The court, presided over by Justice M.M. Gwatana, convicted Abbah of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 221 of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019.

In his judgment on Monday, Justice Gwatana held that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally inflicted injuries on his father, which eventually led to his death.

The incident occurred on October 5, 2024. Abbah was subsequently arrested and arraigned on a two-count charge of culpable homicide and criminal conspiracy under Sections 221 and 97(1) of the Kogi State Penal Code, 2019, as amended.

The case was registered as Suit No. HCL/01C/2025.

According to the prosecution, led by Barrister M. Abaji, the defendant stabbed his father in the chest and back during the attack.

The victim was later taken to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead on October 9, 2024, from injuries sustained in the attack.

During the trial, the prosecution called nine witnesses, including the deceased’s wife, Hajia Jumai Dahiru, and the defendant’s siblings, Nafisat Dahiru and Auwwal Dahiru.

It also tendered nine exhibits before the court, including the defendant’s blood-stained shirt, admitted as Exhibit P12A; the deceased’s blood sample, Exhibit P12B; a knife, Exhibit P11; a digital forensic report, Exhibit P14; and a CD analysis, Exhibit P15C.

Justice Gwatana noted that the defendant did not call any witness in his defence, apart from an Islamic cleric whose testimony concerned inheritance matters.

The court dismissed the testimony as irrelevant to the criminal charge.

“This is a case of culpable homicide, not an inheritance case,” the judge held.

The judge also noted that three people identified by the defendant as potential alibi witnesses — a tea seller, Mai Shai, Aunty Ladidi and Danladi — did not appear in court to testify on his behalf.

Justice Gwatana explained that a criminal offence could be established through direct evidence, including eyewitness testimony or a confessional statement, as well as circumstantial evidence.

Although none of the nine prosecution witnesses directly witnessed the defendant stabbing his father, the judge held that the prosecution had established the case through circumstantial evidence beyond reasonable doubt.

He specifically cited the defendant’s blood-stained clothes and the testimonies of the deceased’s wife and siblings as significant evidence supporting the prosecution’s case.

Justice Gwatana ruled, “The prosecution has successfully proved the case of culpable homicide against the defendant,” before finding Abbah guilty.

However, the court dismissed the separate charge of criminal conspiracy, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish it with sufficient evidence.

In the final ruling, Justice Gwatana sentenced Abbah to death by hanging for the killing of his father.

Reacting to the judgment, defence counsel Mohammed S. Inuwa and Mohammed S. Maihaja said they respected the decision but disclosed that their client would appeal.

The lawyers argued that the judge relied on what they described as inadmissible evidence in reaching the decision.

The head of the deceased’s family, Yusuf Bala, welcomed the judgment, saying the family had sought justice rather than revenge.

“We have nothing against the defendant, but we wanted justice to be done to serve as a deterrent to others,” Bala said.

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