Justice Usman Nababa of the Kano State High Court yesterday sentenced proprietor of Nobel Kids Academy and North West Preparatory School, Mr. Abdulmalik Tanko, to death by hanging.
Tanko is the principal suspect involved in kidnapping and killing of a five-year old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar, while returning from school on December 4, 2021 school and subsequently buried her in a shallow grave.
He had confessed to kidnapping and killing the victim with N100 rat poison before burying her in a shallow grave in one of his schools but later withdrew his confessional statement.
He, alongside his accomplice, Hashim Isyaku and Fatima Musa, were arraigned before the Kano State High court on a five-count charge of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, confinement, and culpable homicide contrary to sections 97, 274, 277, 221 of the penal code.
The judge sentenced, Tanko, 38, and Isyaku, 38 to death by hanging for the kidnapping and killing the pupil.
The convicts were sentenced to five years each for conspiracy.
One other suspect, Musa, was sentenced to one-year imprisonment for conspiracy and another one year for an attempt to commit a felony.
To prove its case, the prosecution team led by the attorney general of the state, Mr. Musa Lawan, called eight witnesses and tendered fourteen exhibits.
Lawan, who is the prosecution counsel, hailed the verdict, describing the Hanifa’s murder as a “crime against humanity.” adding that the deceased deserved justice.
