Court Sentences Five Men to Death by Hanging for Murder of Alleged ‘Witch’ in Kano
A court in Kano State has sentenced five men to death by hanging for the murder of a 67-year-old woman, Dahare Abubakar, whom they accused of practicing witchcraft.
The tragic incident occurred in 2023 when the defendants, believing the elderly woman was responsible for misfortunes in their village, attacked and killed her. Reports indicate that they brutally beat and stabbed Ms. Abubakar at her residence.
In many communities, witchcraft is often blamed for illnesses, bad luck, or unexplained deaths. In this case, the attack was reportedly triggered by a dream in which the ailing wife of one of the defendants saw the deceased chasing her with a knife. Acting on this superstition, the five men took matters into their own hands, leading to Ms. Abubakar’s death.
Judge Usman Na’abba presided over the case, with Abba Sorondiki representing the prosecution. After reviewing the evidence, the court ruled that the murder had been committed beyond a reasonable doubt, resulting in the defendants’ conviction and sentencing.
Following the verdict, Mr. Sorondiki expressed hope that the ruling would serve as a deterrent to others who might resort to vigilante justice over witchcraft allegations. “There have been similar cases in the past, but this is the first time we have seen up to five people sentenced to death for murder based on wrongful witchcraft accusations,” he told the BBC.
The case has sparked discussions on the dangers of superstition-driven violence and the need for stronger legal protections against such extrajudicial actions.
