KNSG closes case against alleged mosque arsonist

The Kano State Government on Tuesday closed its case before an Upper Shari’a Court against Shafi’u Abubakar, 38, the alleged mosque arsonist.

Abubakar, who lives in Gezawa Local Government Kano, is charged with culpable homicide, attempted murder, causing grievous hurt, and mischief by fire.

Supreme News reports that the prosecution had earlier presented six witnesses.

At the resumed sitting, the Prosecution Counsel and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Kano State Ministry of Justice, Salisu Tahir, presented ASP l Abdullahi Sajo as a prosecution witness (Pw 7).

Tahir also tendered the defendant’s confessional statement in English and Hausa languages and pictures of the victims as exhibits.

The Pw7, ASP Abdullahi Sajo, 45, a police officer attached to Kano State CID, testified that he has served 24 years in the police force.

“On May 15, at about 8: a.m, we received a signal from the Gezawa Police Division, Kano, that the defendant went to a mosque in Gadan Larabar Abasawa Village, poured petrol and lighted a fire while the victims were praying at about 5:05 to 5:20 a.m.

“On the same date at about noon, the police attached to the Gezawa Division brought the defendant to the State CID.

“Two other officers; Insp. Iguptil Meambu and Insp. Ruth Adeka and I interrogated the defendant in the presence of his brother, Aminu Abubakar.

“The defendant said that on May 14, on his way home at about 6:p.m, he bought N7,000 fuel in his tricycle at a filling station along Hadeja Road Kano.

“On May 15, he transferred the fuel, into a jerrican, went to the mosque, poured the petrol, set the mosque on fire and then went to Gezawa Police to report himself,” he said.

He added that he saw 25 people at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in critical condition, out of whom 23 later died.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the provisions of Sections 140, 148, 167, and 370 of Kano State Shari’a Penal Code Law, 2000.

Responding, the Defence Counsel, Hasiya Muhammad-Imam, cross-examined the Pw7.

Supreme News reports that the police alleged that on the same day, at about 5:15 a.m, the defendant attempted to kill Shu’aibu Ibrahim and Ibrahim Sani when he poured petrol and lit a fire around them.

The defendant, however, pleaded guilty to all the charges.

The presiding judge, Malam Halhalatu Zakariyya, adjourned the matter until Nov. 19 for continuation of hearing.