Stephen Jiya, who was alleged to have set his biological mother ablaze, which resulted in her death sometime in 2022, is to know his fate on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, when the Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, will deliver the judgement.
The culprit was earlier arrested by the operatives of the homicide squad of the Niger State Police Command and was arraigned before a Minna Chief Magistrate Court number one, awaiting his case file to be transmitted to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice.
He was alleged to have set his mother, Mrs. Comfort Jiya, a retired director in the state ministry of education who resides in the Dutsen Kura area of Minna, the Niger State capital.
The defendant was arraigned before the Minna Chief Magistrate on holding charge pending his final arraignment in the High Court by the office of the Attorney General for prosecution on culpable homicide, which is punishable under Section 221 of the penal code.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in the Ministry of Justice had advised that he should be charged before the High Court for proper prosecution in accordance with the provisions of Section 221 of the penal code.
The office of the Attorney General of Niger State formally charged him to court on September 14, 2022, while hearings into the case commenced on November 23, 2022, and Wednesday, December 13, 2023, was slated for the delivery of judgement by the Chief Judge of Niger State.
During his last appearance in court, the legal team from the office of the Attorney General closed their case, and his defence counsels also closed their case, while Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik adjourned to December 13 to deliver judgement.
Not fewer than six witnesses, including two members of the family and his younger sister, testified against the defendant during the trial.