A 24-year-old housewife, Hafsat Surajo, has allegedly stabbed her 38-year-old house help, identified as Nafiu Hafizu, to death in the Unguwa Uku Quarters of Kano State.
The suspect, who is standing trial on a two-count charge of attempt to commit suicide and culpable homicide, was remanded to a correctional centre within the state by a Kano Chief Magistrate Court.
According to Lamido Sorondinki, the prosecution counsel, the defendant used a sharp knife and attempted to commit suicide, in the process cutting herself on her left hand on Dec 20.
The prosecution told the court that “In the process, the defendant used the said sharp knife to stab Nafiu (the house help) on his chest and other parts of his body which led to his death.”
Meanwhile, the defendant admitted an attempt to kill herself but pleaded not guilty to the second charge.
The offence contravene sections 281 and 221 of the penal code, according to the prosecution counsel.
Chief Magistrate Hadiza Abdulrahman, ordered the remand of the defendant to a correctional centre and adjourned the matter to Feb. 1, 2024, for further mention.
Similarly, Dayyabu Abdullahi (Hafsat’s husband), Adamu Muhammad and Nasidi Muhammad were arraigned before the chief magistrates’ court for concealment of fact over the alleged murder of Nafiu.
The defendants were charged on three-count charge bordering on criminal conspiracy, concealment of fact and false information.
The prosecution counsel, Sorondinki alleged that on Dec. 20, the defendants conspired with one Haruna Adamu now at large and concealed the cause of Nafiu’s death.
“The defendants misled and gave false information to the deceased family by saying he died as a result of pile surgery”
The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
According to the prosecutor, the offense contravened sections 97, 277 and 178 of the penal code.
The defense counsel, Rabiu Sidi and Rabiu Abdullahi, urged the court to grant the defendants bail under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as amended and sections 168 and 172 of the ACJL 2019 Kano State.
Chief Magistrate Hadiza Abdulrahman ordered the remand of the defendants in a correctional center and adjourned the matter until Jan. 8, 2024, for further mention.