The Court of Appeal in Kano has upheld the d3ath sentence handed down to Abdulmalik Tanko for the murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar
In its judgement, delivered by Justice A. R. Muhammad, the appellate court dismissed Tanko’s appeal and upheld the decision of the Kano State High Court, which sentenced him to d3ath by hanging. The court ruled that the trial judge correctly applied the law and properly assessed the evidence presented during the trial.
Justice Muhammad said the arguments raised by Tanko’s legal team were unconvincing, adding that the prosecution’s case was strong and left no room for doubt. He stressed that there was no legal basis for the appellate court to interfere with the verdict of the lower court.
The judge also called on the relevant authorities to ensure the judgement is enforced once the convict has exhausted all legal options available to him.
Hanifa Abubakar was abducted in December 2021 by Tanko, who owned Noble Kids Academy in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, where the child was a pupil. After demanding a ₦6 million ransom from her family, he later poisoned her with rat poison, resulting in her d3ath.
The killing triggered widespread public outrage across the country, particularly because Tanko was entrusted with the care of the child as a school proprietor.
Tanko was arraigned on January 24, 2022, alongside Isyaku Hashim and Fatima Jibril, on charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, unlawful confinement and culpable homicide. On July 28, 2022, the Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba, sentenced Tanko and Hashim to d3ath by hanging, while Jibril received a two-year prison term.
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Why is this monster still alive?