A Kano State High Court has sentenced a housewife, Fadila Adamu, to death by hanging for killing an eight-year-old girl.
The court found Adamu guilty of kidnapping the child and throwing her into a well, leading to her death. Justice Yusuf Muhammad-Ubale, who delivered the judgment, said the prosecution had provided enough evidence to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“I hereby sentence the defendant to death by hanging for kidnapping and throwing the victim into a well, which caused her death,” the judge ruled.
The prosecution, led by Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, told the court that the crime took place on July 14, 2019, at Tudun Wada Quarters in Kano.
“The defendant told her sister that the deceased was the daughter of her friend, whose mother had traveled to Ghana, and asked her to keep the child until she returned,” Abba-Sorondinki said.
However, on July 17, 2019, around 6:30 p.m., Adamu threw the child into a deep well in the Tukuntawa area of Kano, leading to her death.
The prosecution presented seven witnesses, including Adamu’s confessional statement and a medical report confirming the victim’s death. The offense was said to have violated Sections 274(b) and 221(a) of the Penal Code.
Adamu denied committing the crime. Her lawyer, Zulaihat Tata, called four witnesses, including the defendant, to testify in her defense.
Despite this, the court ruled against her, sentencing her to death. The ruling brings an end to a case that has drawn public attention due to the gruesome nature of the crime.
