The School Proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko, has backtracked on his earlier revelation that he had murdered Hanifa Abubakar with a #100 rat poison.
Abdulmalik Tanko had admitted to kidnapping but denied killing the five-year old girl.
The prime suspect and his accomplice, Hashim and Fatima had also closed their defence, before a Kano high court over alleged murder of Hanifa Abubakar.
Led in evidence, the defence counsel, Barrister M L Usman, told the court it has closed it’s defence with the third defendant.
Meanwhile, Hashimu Isyaku, the second defendant in his testimony told the court that the first defendant, Abdulmalik called him towards the end of 2021 that he wanted to see him.
“Tanko told me that there is one woman who has a child in his school and her husband wants to marry a second wife and demanded him to kidnap the girl that she believes will stop her husband from getting married,”he explained.
Hashim furthers testified that after a month, the first defendant called him again and informed him that there is a woman in his neighbourhood that had a miscarriage, and her husband asked him to help him being a new comer in the area to bury the fetus.
“Abdulmalik showed me where to dig the shallow grave, when I was digging, he came with something inside a sack and put it into the grave and cover it”.
Also testifying, the third defendant Fatima Musa told the court that Abdulmalik is her boyfriend and he told her one of his sister’s husband wants to marry another wife and demand to kidnap the girl.
“Abdulmalik promised to marry me if i pick the girl and that his sister will buy our wedding furniture for us. I know nothing about Hanifa death or kidnap,” she added.
While cross-examing the defendants, the prosecution counsel, Kano Attorney General, Barrister Musa Abdullahi-Lawan, asked the second defendant if Abdulmalik promised to give him something if they kidnapped Hanifa.
Isyaku told the court that Tanko promised him nothing, a new baby is not big as a one year old child and he does not know how and what killed Hanifa.
Justice Usman Na’abba adjourned the matter until June 14, for adoption of final written address.
Radio Nigeria reports that the offences have contravened Sections 97, 95 and 273, 274(b) and 277 of the Penal Code, Laws of Kano State, 1991.
KHADIJAH ALIYU
