A High Court in Kano State has sentenced Barau Saidu to 20 years in a correctional facility for killing his uncle during a dispute over farmland.
The convict, a resident of Jarimawa village in Bagwai Local Government Area, was initially arraigned on a one-count charge of culpable homicide and pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution’s case
The State Prosecutor, Barrister Abba Lamido Sorondinki, told the court that the incident occurred on August 7, 2025, at about 6 a.m.
According to the prosecution, Saidu attacked his uncle, Magaji Yusuf, striking him on the head with a club during a physical altercation arising from a misunderstanding over farmland. The victim reportedly suffered severe head injuries, including the loss of an eye, and later died from the injuries.
The offence was said to be contrary to Section 222 of the Penal Code.
Defence argument
Defence counsel, Barrister Dele Olaniyan, argued that his client had no intention to kill his uncle, maintaining that Saidu acted in self-defence. He urged the court to temper justice with mercy.
Court ruling
In her judgment, Justice Maryam Sabo held that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt through witness testimonies and exhibits tendered before the court.
She found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to 20 years imprisonment under Section 225 of the Penal Code, which covers unintentional homicide.
The ruling brings closure to a case rooted in a family land dispute that escalated into fatal violence.
