On Monday, the Kano government re-arraigned school proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko, 34, before a state High Court for the alleged murder of five-year-old school pupil, Hanifa Abubakar.

Mr Tanko, alongside Hashimu Isyaku, 37, and Fatima Musa, 26, who lives at Tudun Murtala Quarters, Kano, faces a five-count charge of criminal conspiracy, attempt to kidnap, abetment, kidnapping and concealing a dead body.

Messrs Tanko and Isyaku pleaded guilty on the first count charge of criminal conspiracy and not guilty to the other four count charges. In contrast, the third defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The prosecutor and Attorney General of Kano, Musa Abdullahi-Lawan, informed the court that in November 2021, the defendants conspired and kidnapped five-year-old Hanifa while returning from Islamiyya school.

He alleged that Mr Tanko held Hanifa hostage in his house situated at Tudun Murtala for days and killed her with poison.

“In the process, the second defendant Isyaku buried her in a shallow grave in the premises of Northwest Preparatory School situated at Kwanar Yan Ghana, Tudun Murtala, Kano.

“On December 27, 2021, the third defendant Musa wrote a letter to the victim’s family, on behalf of Tanko, demanding the sum of six million Naira as ransom.”

Mr Abdullahi-Lawan told the court that the prosecution will present four witnesses or more to prove their case on the next adjourned date.

The defence counsel, Mukhtar Labaran-Usman, made an application, through Section 36(b) of the 1999 constitution, requesting all the documents, to enable him to prepare for an accelerated hearing.

Justice Usman Na’abba ordered the remand of the defendants in a correctional facility and adjourned the matter until March 2 and 3 for hearing. 

(NAN)