Court sentences Mallam to death by hanging for killing housemate.

An Ado Ekiti High Court has passed a judgement of death by hanging against one Mallam Usman Sule for allegedly killing his  housemate, Mallam Mohammed Sheu at Aramoko Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government area of the state.

The two neighbours who are from Sokoto State  were said to have  engaged each other in a minor scuffle about a year ago until it degenerated into a full blown crisis, which eventually led to the death of Mohammed Sheu.

Delivering his judgement, the trial Judge, Justice John Adeyeye said he was convinced that the accused person was actually responsible for the death of his housemate based on the preponderance of evidence before him.

According to the judge, Sule was found  guilty of murder and conspiracy based on the avalanche of evidence presented before him by the prosecuting Counsel, Mr  Olufemi Alabi, a Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in the Ekiti State Judiciary.

Justice Adeyeye further noted   that  the evidence adduced by their co-neighbour during cross examination   was convincing   enough to indict the accused. Baderinwa had argued during the trial that Sule did not commit the crime, saying only post mortem examination could reveal the true cause of  Mohammed’s death.

She prayed the court to discountenance the evidence of the witnesses, saying they lack scientific proofs and legal validity.

Dismissing the position canvassed by the  Counsel to the defendant, Barr. Alabi said Sule had earlier threatened to kill  the deceased on the fateful day , reminding the Court that their co-neighbour had given evidence in this regard.

In his judgement, the  trial Judge  said the evidences of the three other witnesses and that of their co-neighbour as  presented by the prosecution counsel  were strong enough to sentence the accused person. The Judge added that the resistance from the deceased’s family that post mortem examination should not be conducted on him to ascertain the course of his death, was not enough obstacle to discountenance the evidence of the co-neighbour.

Relying on these evidence, the Judge thereby passed the verdict that the  accused person is guilty and that he should die by hanging.

His family had claimed during the trial that it was a taboo to perform such a test on him due to their religious inclination in Sokoto.

Source:vanguard