By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Gombe State High Court has 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.
Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna, who presided over Court No. 5 on Wednesday, found the two defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The case followed the September 18, 2025, attack on Rabi’u at Garin Galadima village, near Pindiga in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The prosecution alleged that Sule and Hilami conspired before arming themselves with dangerous weapons, including sticks and hoes, and attacking Rabi’u.
According to the prosecution, the men robbed the deceased of his mobile phone and N7,400 before inflicting injuries that resulted in his death. His body was later dumped in a maize farm.
Presenting the case, the state counsel, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, told the court that the offences violated Sections 97, 297 and 221 of the Penal Code Law.
“The defendants agreed among themselves at Garin Galadima village, armed themselves with dangerous weapons and attacked the deceased, Murtala Rabi’u.”
The prosecutor further said the defendants took the deceased’s 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, who pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution presented two witnesses, while the defence called one witness. All the witnesses were cross-examined by the opposing sides.
In his judgment, Justice Haruna said he had examined the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence.
“The court has gone through all the charges brought by the prosecution, the evidence of the witnesses and the testimony presented by the defence.”
The judge held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, with particular reliance on the testimony of the first prosecution witness.
“The prosecution has established its case and proved the allegations against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.”
Justice Haruna further ruled that the defendants “failed to establish their defence against the charges brought against them.”
The court consequently convicted both men on the charges.
Justice Haruna sentenced Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami to death by hanging, ordering that they be “hanged by the neck until they are dead.”
