The Court of Appeal sitting in Kano has upheld the death sentence imposed on Abdulmalik Tanko for the killing of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar.
Justice A. R. Muhammad, who delivered the lead judgment, dismissed Tanko’s appeal and affirmed the decision of the Kano State High Court, which sentenced him to death by hanging.
The appellate court held that the trial court acted rightly in law and properly evaluated the evidence placed before it.
Justice Muhammad said the arguments canvassed by the appellant were unmeritorious, adding that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
He stated that the Court of Appeal found no reason to interfere with the judgment of the lower court.
The judge further urged the relevant authorities to ensure that the judgment was carried out after the convict had exhausted all legally available avenues of appeal.
Hanifa was abducted in December 2021 by Tanko, the proprietor of Noble Kids Academy in Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, where the victim was a pupil.
Tanko later demanded a ransom of N6 million from the family before administering rat poison to the child, which led to her death.
The incident generated nationwide outrage due to the age of the victim and the breach of trust involved, as the offence was committed by the owner of the school entrusted with her care.
Tanko was arraigned on Jan. 24, 2022, alongside Isyaku Hashim and Fatima Jibril on charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, unlawful confinement and culpable homicide.
On July 28, 2022, the Kano State High Court, presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba, sentenced Tanko and Hashim to death by hanging, while Jibril was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
