19-yr-old girl Sentenced to Death for Killing Her 30-yr-old Husband 9 days After Their Wedding in Kano

A Kano State High Court has sentenced a 19-year-old woman, Sa’adat Jibrin, to death by hanging after finding her guilty of the culpable homicide of her husband, Salisu Idris, just nine days after their wedding.

Justice Maryam Sabo delivered the judgment on Thursday, ruling that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

“I hereby sentence Sa’adat Jibrin to death by hanging for culpable homicide. You have 90 days to appeal,” the judge declared.

Jibrin, a resident of Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, was prosecuted over the death of her 30-year-old husband, who was killed on 5 May 2025 at Farawa Quarters in Kano.

During the trial, the prosecution, led by Lamido Abba-Sorondinki, told the court that the incident occurred at about 9 p.m. He alleged that Jibrin laced her husband’s Zoho drink before stabbing him with a knife.

To support its case, the prosecution called two witnesses and tendered evidence which, according to the court, established Jibrin’s culpability.

The defendant, however, denied the allegation throughout the trial.

The prosecution argued that the offence contravened Section 221(a) of the Penal Code.

In a plea for mercy before sentencing, defence counsel Abdulfatah Muhammad urged the court to temper justice with compassion.

He told the court that Jibrin had undergone significant personal transformation while in custody, including memorising the Holy Qur’an.

The defence lawyer also appealed to the court to consider her family circumstances, noting that she is the eldest child and that her younger siblings rely heavily on her for support.

Despite the plea for leniency, the court held that the evidence before it warranted the maximum penalty prescribed by law and accordingly sentenced her to death by hanging, while informing her of her right to appeal the judgment within 90 days.