Gombe Court Sentences Two Men to Death for Armed Robbery, Murder

A Gombe State High Court has sentenced two men, Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami, to death by hanging for the armed robbery and murder of 35-year-old Murtala Rabi’u.

Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna delivered the judgment on Wednesday at Court No. 5, finding both men guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.

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 told the court that Sule and Hilami conspired to attack the victim and armed themselves with sticks and hoes.

According to State counsel, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, the defendants attacked Rabi’u, took his mobile phone and N7,400 in cash, and later dumped his body in a maize farm. The prosecution said the phone was an Itel keypad device without a SIM card.

Ibrahim told the court that the defendants shared the N7,400 after leaving Rabi’u’s body in the farm. “The defendants agreed among themselves at Garin Galadima village, armed themselves with dangerous weapons and attacked the deceased, Murtala Rabi’u,” he said.

Sule and Hilami pleaded not guilty when the charges were read and explained to them. During the trial, the prosecution called two witnesses, while the defence called one witness, with all witnesses subjected to cross-examination.

In his judgment, Justice Haruna said the court had carefully examined the charges, evidence from the witnesses and the defence testimony. He held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying particularly on the testimony of the first prosecution witness.

“The prosecution has established its case and proved the allegations against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt,” the judge ruled, adding that the defendants failed to establish a defence against the charges.

Justice Haruna subsequently sentenced Sule and Hilami to death by hanging, directing that they be “hanged by the neck until they are dead.”