HANIFA’S MU-RDER: Suspect Denies Earlier Confession, Allege Threat To His Life | DETAILS

Justice Usman Na’aba of a Kano State High Court, on Wednesday, overruled allegations of threat to life, confession under-duress and torture raised by Abdulmaliq Tanko, the prime suspect in the mur-der of five-year-old pupil of Noble Kiddies Academy, Kano, Hanifa Abubakar.

At the resumed trial on Wednesday, Justice Na’aba declared that there was no substantive evidence brought before the court to prove that the suspects were not responsible for their earlier statements.

In his ruling on the trial within a trial, Justice Na’aba declared that Abdulmaliq failed to clearly prove the identity of the device, which he claimed was used to penetrate his b0dy parts, and dismissed the suspect’s argument.

Both Abdulmaliq and Fatima Musa (third defendant), at the last sitting, denied signing the confessional statements brought by the police.

The prime suspect alleged that he was not only electrocuted with an unknown device, but threatened with weapons by security agents, while making the statement, which he claimed he refused to sign.

Similarly, the third defendant told the court that she was also threatened and offered N250,000 inducement if she accepted to cooperate with the security personnel, while documenting her confession.

The revelation unfolded when the defence counsel, Muktar Usman, objected to the submission of the first security witness, Sergeant Rilwan Ibrahim, over what he described as inconsistency in the evidence of the first and third defendants’ statements.

Usman, who is Deputy Director, Legal Aid Council, Kano office, opposed the method applied by the police in obtaining the suspects’ statement, insisting that the security operatives failed to comply with the provisions of the Criminal Administration of Justice Act.

Subsequently, Usman sought the court’s permission to order a trial within trial so as to clear the claim and counterclaim.

PUNCH