The Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, tried hard to control her emotions while delivering a judgement in a case of culpable homicide against Stephen Jiya, who set his biological mother ablaze that resulted in her death.
She, however, sentenced him to death by hanging after he was found guilty of culpable homicide punishable under Section 221 of the penal code law, which attracts the death penalty.
Stephen Jiya was arraigned by the office of the Attorney General of the State Ministry of Justice for setting his mother, Mrs. Comfort Jiya, a retired director in the Niger State Ministry of Education, ablaze sometime in December 2021.
He was arraigned before Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik on September 14, 2022, while hearings into the case commenced on November 23, 2022.
Justice Halima Ibrahim Abdulmalik, while analysing the case, pointed out that all the ingredients that indicated that the convict was responsible for the crime levelled against him were established by the prosecutor, and all the evidence and prosecuting witnesses who testified before the court were able to prove that the convict was responsible for the killing of his mother.
She said the prosection has proved its case against the defendant beyond every reasonable doubt, and she was convinced by all the testimonies of the prosecuting witnesses.
"On the whole, the prosection has proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt against the defendant, and I hereby find you, Stephen Jiya, guilty of the offence of culpable homicide, which is contrary to Section 221 of the penal code accordingly.
"In the circumstances, the sentence of the court upon you is that you should be hanged by the neck, electrocuted, executed, or injected with lethal injection until you are dead, and may the Lord have mercy on your soul," she added.