Kano govt closes case against alleged mosque arsonist

The Kano State government on Tuesday closed its case before against the alleged mosque arsonist, Shafi’u Abubakar, at the Upper Shari’a Court in the state.

Abubakar was arraigned for alleged culpable homicide, attempted murder, causing grievous hurt and mischief by fire.

The prosecution had earlier presented six witnesses.

At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the state, Salisu Tahir, presented ASP Abdullahi Sajo, as the seventh prosecution witness in the case.

Tahir also tendered the defendant’s confessional statement in English and Hausa languages, and pictures of the victims as exhibit.

Sajo, 45, a police officer attached to the Kano State Criminal Investigation Department, testified that he has served 24 years in the police.

He said: “On May 15, at about 8:00 a.m, we received a signal from the Gezawa Police Division, Kano, that the defendant went to a mosque in Gadan Larabar Abasawa Village, poured petrol and lighted a fire while the victims were praying at 5:20 a.m.

“On the same date at about noon, the police attached to the Gezawa Division brought the defendant to the State CID.

READ ALSO: Court summons 2 witnesses in trial of suspected Kano mosque arsonist

“Two other officers; Insp. Iguptil Meambu and Insp. Ruth Adeka and I interrogated the defendant in the presence of his brother, Aminu Abubakar.

“The defendant said that on May 14, on his way home at about 6:00 p.m, he bought N7,000 fuel in his tricycle at a filling station along Hadeja Road Kano.

“On May 15, he transferred the fuel into a jerrican, went to the mosque, poured the petrol, set the mosque on fire, and then went to Gezawa Police Station to report himself.”

The witness added that he saw 25 people at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in critical condition out of which 23 later died.

The prosecutor told the court the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 140, 148, 167, and 370 of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law, 2000.

The presiding judge, Malam Halhalatu Zakariyya, adjourned the matter till November 19 for the continuation of hearing.

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