A Kano State High Court has acquitted a 35-year-old man, Inusa Rabo, charged with killing a 55-year-old man, after medical evidence established his history of mental illness.
Justice Fatima Adamu, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, held that the prosecution failed to prove the charge of culpable homicide against Rabo beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge said the testimony of a psychiatrist at the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Dawanau, Kano, Dr Adamu Aliyu, supported evidence that the defendant had a history of mental illness.
She consequently discharged and acquitted Rabo, who resides in Kadawa Quarters, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of the state.
However, the court directed the defendant’s relatives to sign an undertaking to ensure that he continues receiving treatment at the psychiatric hospital and takes his medication regularly.
Justice Adamu said the court had a responsibility to protect society while ensuring justice was served, adding that the evidence before it established the defendant’s mental health history.
She also commended defence counsel, Haruna Saleh-Zakariyya, for handling the case pro bono and presenting a medical expert to testify. The judge urged other lawyers to demonstrate similar diligence and professionalism.
How the case unfolded
The prosecution, led by Hafsat Ada’u-Kutama, told the court that Rabo committed the alleged offence on September 1, 2024, at Kadawa Quarters.
She alleged that at about 1:50 pm, the defendant struck Sa’idu Haruna on the head with a stick, causing injuries that led to his death.
According to the prosecution, Haruna was rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, where he was confirmed dead.
The prosecution called three witnesses and tendered three exhibits in an attempt to establish the charge, which it said contravened Section 221 of the Penal Code.
Rabo denied committing the offence.
The defence called the defendant and two other witnesses and tendered three exhibits, including a medical certificate indicating that he had a history of mental illness spanning more than 10 years.
During his testimony, Dr Aliyu told the court that he had been treating Rabo for more than a decade.
The court subsequently ruled that the prosecution had not established its case beyond reasonable doubt and acquitted the defendant.
