Agency Report
An Upper Shari’a Court sitting in Kano on Wednesday, sentenced a 60-year-old man; Mati Abdu, to death by stoning after his conviction for raping a 12-year-old girl. Abdu was convicted on a count charge of rape.
The offence is contrary to Section 126 of the Kano State Shari’a Penal Code 2000. The trial Judge, Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, said the accused person pleaded guilty to charge. His guilty plea came after the case was adjourned for the fourth time without changing his plea.
Sarki-Yola said the Court was convinced by the accused person’s admission of the charge against him. Consequently, it found him guilty.
Thereafter, the judge convicted the accused and sentenced him to death by stoning; under Section 127 (b) of the Kano State Shari’a Code 2000. However, Sarki-Yola ordered a 30-day grace within which to appeal the judgment.
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Ms Badariya Muhammad, had told the court that the convict committed the offence sometimes in 2019. She disclosed that the offence was committed at Farsa village in Tsanyawa Local Government Area of the state.
Muhammad told the court that the convict at about 1:00pm had unlawful canal knowledge of the 12-year-old girl; under a tree situated at Farsa village in Tsanyawa. The prosecution argued that the offence contravened Section 126 of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law 2000.