The Gombe State High Court, sitting in Court No. 5, has sentenced two men, Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami, to death by hanging for the armed robbery and murder of a 35-year-old man, Murtala Rabi’u.
Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna, who presided over the case on Wednesday, found the two defendants guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The Punch reported that the case arose from an attack on Rabi’u on September 18, 2025, at Garin Galadima village, near Pindiga, in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
The prosecution said Sule and Hilami conspired and armed themselves with dangerous weapons, including sticks and hoes, before attacking Rabi’u and dispossessing him of his mobile phone and N7,400.
It was further alleged that the defendants inflicted severe injuries on the victim, resulting in his death, before dumping his body in a maize farm.
Presenting the case, the state counsel, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, told the court that 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, who pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, the prosecution called two witnesses, who testified and were cross-examined by defence counsel, Dan Mamman.
The defence also called one witness, who was cross-examined by the prosecution.
Delivering judgment, Justice Haruna said the court had carefully examined the evidence presented by both sides.
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 held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, placing particular reliance on the testimony of the first prosecution witness.
He stated, “The prosecution has established its case and proved the allegations against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.”
The judge added that the defendants “failed to establish their defence against the charges brought against them.”
Consequently, the court convicted Sule and Hilami of the offences and sentenced both men to death by hanging, directing that they be “hanged by the neck until they are dead.”
