Court discharges man in case against housewife who stabbed domestic worker

A Kano State High Court discharged Nasidi Muhammad on Monday, charged with giving false information with the intention of screening Hafsat Suraj, 24, who allegedly stabbed her domestic staffer Nafiu Hafizu, 38, to death.

Nasidi is charged alongside Suraj’s husband, Dayyabu Abdullahi, and Adamu Muhammad with giving false information with the intention of screening Suraj from legal punishment, contrary to the provisions of Section 167 of the Penal Code.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Justice Farouk Lawan, in a ruling, stepped out and discharged Nasidi.

Lawan held that section 124(1) of ACJL gives the Attorney-General of Kano State the power to withdraw any charge or discontinue any case at any time.

He ordered the remand of the other defendants in a correctional centre and adjourned the matter until May 6 for re-arraignment.

Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, Halima Yahuza, filed a motion dated March 26, pursuant to section 36(6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended and section 23 of ACJl 2019 Kano, seeking an order for amendment of the charges dated February 6, 2024.

“We apply for amendment of charges and urge the court to strike out the fourth defendant.”

The prosecutor alleged that the first defendant, Suraj, allegedly stabbed Nafiu on his chest and other parts of his body, which led to his death on December 21, 2023, at Unguwa Uku Quarters in Kano.

The offence contravened the provisions of Section 221 of the Penal Code.

The defence counsels, Haruna Magashi and Fauziyya Yusuf, urged the court to dismiss the prosecution application to strike out the fourth defendant.

Counsel for the fourth defendant, Mr. Rabiu Abdullahi, urged the court to strike out his client from the case as he has no case to answer.