Late Hanifa: Court fixes New Date for Continuation of Hearing

Late Hanifa: Court fixes New Date for continuation of Hearing

The resumed sitting for continuation of hearing in the ongoing trial of a school proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko, for the alleged murder of a five-year-old pupil, Hanifa Abubakar, yesterday fixed April 12 and 14 for the resumed.

THECONSCIENCEng reports that at the High Court sitting in Kano, the prosecution counsel for Deputy Director Public Prosecution Kano State, Barr. Rabi Shehu-Ahmad, presented the late girl’s mother as the seven prosecution witnesses and tendered 17 text messages, as exhibit.

Murja Suleiman, 38, in her testimony told the court that she is the biological mother of the late Hanifa, adding that she handed over Hanifa to her proprietor, Abdulmalik, at the Noble Kids Comprehensive College.

She added that on December 4, 2021, at about 8am she took the late Hanifa to Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi Islamiyya School and the school normally closes at 5:30pm.

Suleiman also said that the neighbour’s daughter, Maimuna Abubakar, after closing from Islamiyya school ran to the house and informed her that a tricyclist had gone with Hanifa, and Hanifa told her that it was her uncle that had taken her.

While recounting her ordeal, the witness told the court that on January 2, 2022, she received a call that the victim was with them and demanded a N6 million ransom.

“After 28 days of her abduction, I saw a black leather in front of my house containing her cardigan, school badge and printed black and white picture of my daughter,” Suleiman told the court.

Defence counsel to the accused, Barr. M. L. Usman, told the court that he was not ready for cross-examination and asked for an adjournment to enable him to prepare for the defence.

The presiding judge, Justice Naabba, adjourned to 12 and 14 April 2022 for cross-examination and continuation of hearing.