The Court of Appeal has upheld the death sentence imposed on Farida Abubakar for the murder of her former husband, Chief Magistrate Attahiru Muhammad-Ibrahim.
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In a unanimous judgment in appeal No. CA/S/75C/2025 on Monday, a three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Tunde Awotoye, dismissed Abubakar’s appeal and affirmed the judgment of the Kebbi State High Court delivered on June 3, 2024.
“The appeal lacks merit. The conviction and sentence of the appellant as delivered by the High Court of Kebbi State on 03/06/2024 are hereby affirmed,” the court ruled.
Abubakar was convicted in a case instituted by the People of Kebbi State. She was represented by A. N. Salau, while the prosecution was led by Zainab Muhammad Jabbo of the Kebbi State Ministry of Justice.
At trial, the prosecution called 12 witnesses and tendered several exhibits, including Abubakar’s extra-judicial statement and circumstantial evidence linking her to the murder.
The appellate court held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and upheld the trial court’s reliance on the doctrine of “last seen,” ruling that it was sufficiently supported by the evidence on record.
Although Abubakar’s extra-judicial statements were not considered confessional, the court held that all the essential elements of the offences were established.
The court consequently affirmed her death sentence by hanging under Section 191(b) of the Kebbi State Penal Code, as well as a seven-year jail term under Section 224(1) of the same law for causing grievous hurt.
Abubakar has since filed a further appeal at the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
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