A Kano State High Court has handed down a death sentence to 22-year-old Sagiru Rijiyar-Zaki for the brutal killing of his stepmother and sister in January 2023. Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, sentencing the convict to death by hanging for the double murder.
The gruesome incident occurred on January 7, 2023, at the family home in Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, Kano. According to prosecution evidence, Rijiyar-Zaki stabbed his stepmother Rabiatu Sagir in the neck with a screwdriver following a dispute, then proceeded to strangle his sister Munawara with her own scarf. Prosecution counsel Lamido Abba-Sorondinki presented two witnesses and physical evidence that sealed the defendant’s fate, despite his claims of innocence.
Defense attorney Mubarak Abubakar’s efforts to counter the prosecution’s case proved unsuccessful as the court found the crimes violated Section 221(a) of Kano State’s Penal Code. The violent nature of the attacks, occurring within the family home, sent shockwaves through the Kutama Village community in Gwarzo Local Government Area.
This ruling marks a somber conclusion to a case that highlights the tragic consequences of domestic violence, with the court demonstrating its firm stance on such grave offenses through the maximum punishment allowed by law. The judgment serves as both a legal resolution and a stark reminder of the devastating impact of violent crimes within families.
