By Joyce Babayeju
The arraignment of the suspected killer of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar, Abdulmalik Tanko, and his accomplices before a state high court, on Monday suffered a setback as lack of legal representation for the suspects stalled the court case.
Abdulmalik alongside Hashimu Isyaku and Fatima Bashir was charged to court on five count charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, confinement, and culpable homicide contrary to sections 97, 274, 277, 221 of the penal code.
When the case came up before Justice Usman Na’abba, they were not legally represented and they prayed the court to order Kano State Government to provide legal representation for them.
However, the prosecution counsel led by the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Musa Abdullahi Lawan asked the court to give it a week, to enable it to provide the three defendants legal representation.
According to Lawan “the Ministry of Justice has already pressed a charge against Abdulmalik and two other defendants. We are supposed to apply for the charges to be read to them at the court sitting today.
“Unfortunately, they do not have legal representation. This is a capital offence which the constitution says that you cannot try a person without legal representation.
“You heard the court asked them of their legal representation and they said they don’t have any. And they further said they wanted the state to provide them with legal representation. We are only getting to know that now.
“But we have undertaking before the court that we will provide a legal representation for them.”
We have asked the court for a week, 14th February, 2022 to enable us provide them with a legal representation so that the case can go on smoothly.
“Let me assure you that, as far as the ministry of Justice is concerned, we are fully ready for this case. We are ready to present our witnesses ones the charges are read to their understanding and their plea taking,” the Attorney General said.
The presiding Judge, Justice Na’abba however granted the prayer and adjourned the case till 14th February 2022.
Recall that the state government had earlier arraigned the killer, Abdulmalik and his accomplice before a Magistrate court but decided to transfer the case to the State High Court because the Magistrate court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the case.
By Vanguard
