Kano Court Jails Two Young Men 14 Years for Culpable Homicide in 2019 Fatal Clash

A Kano State High Court in Bompai has sentenced two men to 14 years in prison without an option of fine after finding them guilty of culpable homicide linked to a violent street clash that led to the death of a young man in 2019.

Justice Hadiza Sulaiman delivered the judgment on Monday, April 27, 2026, after years of trial in a case brought by the Kano State Government against the defendants, Nafi’u Garba and Abdulmajeed Garba.

The court heard that the incident happened on March 16, 2019, at about 8:15 p.m. in Dakata, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, following a dispute between the deceased, Surajo, and Nafi’u Garba over a marriage-related issue.

Prosecutors told the court that the confrontation escalated after Surajo slapped Nafi’u, who later mobilised a group of youths, leading to a violent attack.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants and others assaulted Surajo, inflicting injuries that eventually resulted in his death.

During the trial, the prosecution presented three witnesses whose testimonies the court described as credible and consistent, strengthening the case against the accused.

The defendants denied the charges throughout the proceedings, but their defence was dismissed by the court for lacking sufficient weight against the prosecution’s evidence.

Justice Sulaiman held that the prosecution successfully proved both criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide beyond reasonable doubt.

However, the court noted that the defendants were about 16 years old at the time of the incident and that the offence stemmed from a sudden fight rather than a premeditated killing.

Based on those circumstances, the charge was amended from Section 221 to Section 224 of the Penal Code before sentencing.

The judge consequently handed down a 14-year jail term to both defendants, ordering that the sentence be served in a correctional facility without the option of a fine.