The principal suspect in the case of abduction, murder and subsequent dismemberment of Hanifa Abubakar, Abdulmalik Tanko, on Monday admitted to kidnapping the student but denied her murder.

During her trial at the Kano State High Court, the suspect said he was not aware how the victim, five-year-old pupil, died.

He also said second and third defendants, Hashimu Isyaku and Fatima Jibrin, were also not aware of the circumstances in which their victim died.

Hanifa: Kano govt re-arraigns school proprietor, two others

Abdulmalik Tanko, Hashimu Isyaku and Fatima Jibrin are standing trial before Kano High Court for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, keeping in confinement an abducted person and culpable homicide.

Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Musa Lawan said he would not to say much about the case since it is pending before the court but they are satisfied with the process.

Justice Usman Na’abba adjourned the sitting till Tuesday to continue with the defense.

Tanko, alongside Hashimu Isyaku and Fatima Musa, who lives at Tudun Murtala Quarters, Kano, are facing a five-count charge of criminal conspiracy, attempt to kidnap, abetment, kidnapping and concealing dead body.

The prosecutor, who is also the Attorney General of Kano State, Barr. Musa Abdullahi-Lawan, informed the court that sometimes in November 2021, the defendants conspired and kidnapped the five-year-old Hanifa while she was returning from Islamiyya school.

He alleged that Tanko, the proprietor of Nobel Kids Comprehensive College, Kano, had on Dec. 4, 2021, kidnapped and held Hanifa hostage in his house situated at Tudun Murtala for days and killed her with poison.

“In the process, the second defendant Isyaku buried her in a shallow grave in the premises of Northwest Preparatory School situated at Kwanar Yan Ghana, Tudun Murtala, Kano.

“On Dec. 27, 2021, the third defendant Musa wrote a letter to the victim’s family, on behalf of Tanko, demanding the sum of N6 million as ransom.”

Abdullahi-Lawan told the court that the prosecution will present four witnesses or more to prove their case on the next adjourned date.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravened Sections 97, 95 and 273,274(b) and 277 of the Penal Code Laws of Kano State 1991.

The defence counsel, Barr. Mukhtar Labaran-Usman, made an application, through Section 36(b) of the 1999 constitution, requesting for all the documents, to enable him to prepare for accelerated hearing.

The Star