The Gombe State High Court sitting in Court No. 5 on Wednesday sentenced two men, Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami, to death by hanging for armed robbery and the murder of a 35-year-old man, Murtala Rabi’u.

The court, presided over by Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna, found the two defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

The defendants were charged in connection with the September 18, 2025, attack on Rabi’u at Garin Galadima village, near Pindiga, in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

According to the prosecution, the defendants conspired and armed themselves with dangerous weapons, including sticks and hoes, before attacking and robbing the deceased of his mobile phone and N7,400 cash.

The prosecution told the court that the defendants inflicted severe injuries on Rabi’u, leading to his death, before dumping his body in a maize farm.

Presenting the case, the state counsel, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said the offences contravened Sections 97, 297 and 221 of the Penal Code Law.

The prosecutor said, “The defendants agreed among themselves at Garin Galadima village, armed themselves with dangerous weapons and attacked the deceased, Murtala Rabi’u.”

He added that the defendants robbed the deceased of his Itel keypad phone without a SIM card and “the sum of N7,400 cash, which they shared among themselves after dumping his corpse in a maize farm.”

The charges were read and explained to the defendants, but they pleaded not guilty.

During the trial, the prosecution called two witnesses who testified before the court and were cross-examined by defence counsel, Dan Mamman.

The defence subsequently called one witness, who was also cross-examined by the prosecution.

Delivering judgment, Justice Haruna said the court had carefully considered the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defence.

The judge said, “The court has gone through all the charges brought by the prosecution, the evidence of the witnesses and the testimony presented by the defence.”

Justice Haruna further held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying particularly on the testimony of the first prosecution witness.

The judge stated, “The prosecution has established its case and proved the allegations against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.”

He added that the defendants “failed to establish their defence against the charges brought against them.”

The court consequently found Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami guilty of the offences.

Justice Haruna then sentenced the two defendants to death by hanging, declaring that they should be “hanged by the neck until they are dead.” (The PUNCH, excluding headline)

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