A middle-aged man identified as Festus Stephen has been convicted and sentenced to death by hanging for killing his friend, Mohammed Sani (Jega) over N30,000.

The court heard that Festus of Sabon Pegi bye-pass, Yola town, Yola South LGA on or about October 19, 2018, at Sabon Pegi, caused the death of his friend, one Mohammed Sali (Jega,  by hitting him several times with the intention of causing his death. According to the prosecution team, the convict gave the deceased who happened to be his friend a loan of N30,000 but Mohammed could not pay back the money at the agreed time. The court heard that while both of them were in the room on that fateful day, the convict demanded that the deceased should refund him his money, but the late Jega reportedly told him that he was going to pay back the following week. This resulted in a heated argument shortly after they had taken codeine and smoked Indian hemp in the room. The prosecution team said the deceased attempted to pick a knife under the bed to stab the convict, but the convict quickly picked a cutlass and macheted him 2 times on the head as a result of which the victim fell down in his pool of blood and died.

The prosecution team told the court that the convict hurriedly picked up a packet of cigarette, locked the door and fled to Mubi where he committed another murder and is currently standing another trial for alleged culpable homicide before Hon. Justice Danladi Muhammed led High Court.

Delivery judgement in the case, the presiding judge, Justice Bulila Ladokiya Ikharo, said she cannot find any other intention more than the fact that the defendant intended and indeed killed the deceased, saying that the convict intended by his act to cause the death of the deceased. 

“It is very clear that the defendant had intention of killing the deceased. He used a cutlass and stabbed the deceased twice on the head, a very vital part of the body. As if that was not enough, he locked him up in the room in his pool and left. On the whole, I hereby find and hold that the prosecution had proved its case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt and I so convict the defendant as charged.

I wish I could do otherwise considering the fact that the convict is a young man, but my hands are tied. The provision of Section 192 (a) of the Penal Code is mandatory and must be carried out. Accordingly, I hereby sentence you Festus Stephen to death by hanging. May God have mercy on you” the judge ruled