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Minna: Two Sisters Sentenced to Death for Gruesome Killing of Co-Wife

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MINNA, Nigeria — A high court in Minna, Niger State, on Monday, January 20, 2025, sentenced two siblings to death and a third to life imprisonment in a case that has left the local community in shock.

Justice Bilkisu Gambo Yussuf handed down the sentences to Amina Aliyu, Aishat Mohammed, and Zainab Aliyu, who were convicted on charges of joint act and culpable homicide punishable by death under Sections 97 and 221 of the Penal Code.

The court found that Aishat Aliyu killed her co-wife, Hafsat Aliyu, on March 23, 2021, by striking her with a pestle and setting her body on fire in the kitchen.

Emotional Scenes in Court

The sentencing was met with tears from the siblings’ parents and sympathisers present in the courtroom.

The emotional atmosphere underscored the gravity of the case, which has drawn public attention since the siblings’ arrest three years ago.

Justice Yussuf delivered the judgment after hearing testimony from four prosecution witnesses, including the deceased’s husband, Alhaji Mohammed Sani.

The defence counsel had pleaded for leniency, especially for Zainab Aliyu, who was a teenager at the time of the crime.

Application of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act

In her ruling, Justice Yussuf acknowledged the defence’s argument regarding Zainab Aliyu’s age at the time of the offence.

Under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which had been domesticated in Niger State by 2021, individuals under the age of 18 cannot receive the death penalty for capital offences.

“As at 2021, when the offence was committed, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) was already domesticated, which really excluded somebody below the age of eighteen from being convicted for capital-related offences,” Justice Yussuf stated.

Zainab Aliyu was sentenced to life imprisonment, while her older siblings, Amina Aliyu and Aishat Mohammed, were sentenced to death by electrocution.

“May the Lord Have Mercy on Their Souls”

In pronouncing the death sentences, Justice Yussuf expressed solemnity, saying, “May the Lord have mercy on their souls.”

Case Details

The court heard that the crime stemmed from a domestic dispute involving co-wives in a polygamous household.

Aishat Aliyu’s actions were described as deliberate and premeditated, leading to her conviction for culpable homicide.

The husband of the deceased, Alhaji Mohammed Sani, testified to the tragic events, while other witnesses corroborated the circumstances of the crime.

Community Reaction

The case has sparked widespread discussions in Minna and beyond about the dynamics of domestic conflicts and the consequences of extreme actions within families.

The sentencing highlights the application of the ACJA in protecting minors from capital punishment, even in severe criminal cases.

It also underscores the weight of Nigeria’s legal system in addressing serious crimes and upholding justice.

As the Aliyu family grapples with the judgment, the community remains divided over the tragic events and their legal and moral implications.

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