Niger state chief judge sentences man to death by hanging for burning his mother alive

The Chief Judge of Niger State, Halima Abdulmalik, has sentenced Stephen Jiya, who killed his mother by setting her ablaze, to death by hanging.

Mrs Abdulmalik ruled that Mr Jiya was found guilty of culpable homicide punishable under Section 221 of the penal code law, which attracts the death penalty.

He was arraigned by the office of the Attorney General of the State Ministry of Justice for the murder of his mother, Comfort Jiya, a retired director in the Niger State Ministry of Education in December 2021.

He was arraigned on 14 September 2022 and the trial started on 23 November 2022.

The judge said the prosecution provided evidence and witnesses that established that the convict committed the offence.

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She said the prosecution has proved its case against the defendant beyond every reasonable doubt.

In January 2022, the suspect killed his mother and subsequently confessed to the crime.

He told the police that he killed her after he suspected she was behind his wife’s disappearance from their Suleja home.