MAN TO DIE BY HANGING FOR SETTING HIS BIOLOGICAL MOTHER ABLAZE
BY UTHMAN BABA-SIRAJUDEEN MINNA
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, Wednesday, tried hard to control her emotions while delivering a Judgment in a case of culpable homicide against Stephen Jiya who set his biological mother ablaze.
She however sentenced him to death by hanging after he was found guilty of culpable homicide punishable under sections 221 of the penal code law which attract death penalty.
Stephen Jiya, was arraigned by the office of the Attorneys General of the Niger state Ministry of Justice for setting his biological mother Mrs Comfort Jiya a retired Director in the Niger State Ministry of Education ablaze sometime in November 2022 .
He was formally arraigned by the legal teams of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice sometimes in September, 2022 while hearing into the case commenced on the 23, of November 2023.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), advised that he should prosecuted in accordance with the provision of Section 221 of the penal code which attract death penalty.
The chief Judge of the state while analyzing the case pointed out that all the evidences and the prosecuting witnesses who testified before the court, were able to proved that the convict was responsible for the killing of his biological Mother Mrs Comfort Jiya according to Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik.
She equally avered that without any iota of doubt, the convict was the only person at home when the crime was committed even with the saying by the victim, that “Baba Woga mi Wu Baba you are killing me”
Continuing she said ” I don’t have any iota of doubt in my mind that the convict is guilty of culpable homicide punishable under sections 221 of the penal code as charged”.
” On the whole, the prosection has proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt against the defendant I hereby found you Stephen Jiya guilty of the offence of culpable homicide with death contrary to section 221 of the penal code accordingly.
“What do you have to say before I passed my sentence on you” ? She asked.
While pleading for leniency, the convict pleaded with the court to temper justice with Mercy while convicting him saying,
” I’m a family man I have a wife and children. Give me second chance I will be a product of good society.
” My Lord have mercy on me. Temper justice with Mercy. I promised to change for good” he pleaded.
While passing her Judgement in an emotional laden tone which lasted for over one hour, the chief Judge said ” In the circumstances the sentence of the court upon you is that you should be hanged by the neck, electrocuted, executed, or injected with lethal injection until you are death. May the Lord have mercy on your soul”
