The Court of Appeal affirmed Farida Abubakar’s death sentence for the murder of her former husband, Chief Magistrate Attahiru Muhammad-Ibrahim.
In a unanimous ruling handed down on Monday in appeal No. CA/S/75C/2025, a three-member panel led by Justice Tunde Awotoye dismissed Abubakar’s appeal and confirmed the Kebbi State High Court’s decision from June 3, 2024.
The court dismissed the appeal, stating that the trial court’s conviction and punishment were appropriate and supported by reliable evidence.
The Kebbi State Government prosecuted Abubakar, and A. N. Salau represented him, while Zainab Muhammad Jabbo of the Kebbi State Ministry of Justice led the prosecution.
During the trial, the prosecution called 12 witnesses and presented numerous exhibits, including Abubakar’s extrajudicial statement and circumstantial evidence linking her to the crime.
In its decision, the appellate court held that the prosecution established its case beyond a reasonable doubt and confirmed the trial court’s reliance on the doctrine of “last seen,” describing it as properly supported by the evidence presented to the court.
Although Abubakar’s extrajudicial utterances were not considered confessional, the court determined that all of the necessary elements of the offenses were demonstrated.
As a result, the Court of Appeal upheld her sentence of death by hanging under Section 191(b) of the Kebbi State Penal Code, as well as seven years in jail under Section 224(1) of the same statute for causing grave hurt.
Abubakar has subsequently filed an appeal with the Supreme Court, hoping to overturn the decision.
