The Jigawa State High Court in Gumel has sentenced a man to death by hanging for killing his wife.

The judge, Abubakar Sambo, on Wednesday, convicted Rabiu Mamman, a resident of Medin Labo village in Gagarawa Local Government Area of the state, of the crime.

The spokesperson of the state’s Ministry of Justice, Zainab Baba-Santali, said Mr. Mamman in 2016 ambushed his wife in a bush in Mesheda and battered her to death with a stick.

The court found that the convict then buried the remains in a shallow grave, Mrs. Baba-Santali said

“In proving the fact of the case, the prosecution counsel, Jamilu Mohammed, called four witnesses and tendered the recorded statements of the defendant.

“The defendant testified in his defense by denying the charges against him. The learned trial judge, Abubakar Sambo, ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt for the offense of culpable homicide punishable with death.

“The judge convicted Mr. Mamman on the first headcount charges and sentenced him to death by hanging under the Section 221(b) of the Jigawa State Penal Code Law,” the official said.

Meanwhile, in another judgment, the State’s Chief Judge, Umar Sadiq, on Tuesday, acquitted one Rawi Suleiman accused of rape.

Mrs. Baba-Santali said the alleged offense was said to have been committed in one village of Ringim Local Government Area sometime in 2018.

“Also In the state, another High Court sitting at Birnin Kudu LGA presided over by Justice Musa Ubale has on Tuesday 20th July, discharged and acquitted one Imrana Haruna, a resident of Asayaya Village, Jahun LGA.

“Mr. Haruna was alleged to have raped a 5-year-old girl.

“The same Court had also exonerated one Dalha Hassan, of Gadawa Quarters, Jahun LGA, for the offense of sodomy contrary to Section 284 (1) of the Penal Code (Miscellaneous Amendments) Law No. 9, 2014,” Mrs. Baba-Santali said