A Minna High Court in Niger State has sentenced two sisters, Amina Aliyu and Aishat Mohammed, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of Amina’s co-wife, Hafsat Fatima Aliyu. The incident, which took place in March 2021, shocked the local community and sparked a lengthy legal battle.

According to the prosecution, Aishat attacked Hafsat with a pestle and then set her body on fire in the kitchen. The crime occurred just seven weeks after Hafsat married their shared husband, Alhaji Muhammad Sani, in a tragic turn of events that highlighted the tension between the two wives.

The case began in the Minna Chief Magistrate Court and was later transferred to the High Court after the severity of the crime became clear. Over the course of three years, the court heard from four key witnesses, including Sani, who described how Amina was involved in the murder. Justice Balkisu Gambo Yusuf, after reviewing the evidence, confirmed that the prosecution had proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt, and stated that the punishment for the crime, according to the law, was the death penalty.

While the two sisters were convicted, their younger sister, Zainab, was sentenced to life imprisonment. Zainab was considered a minor at the time of the crime, and her defense team argued for leniency. The judge agreed, pointing out that under Nigerian law, anyone under the age of 18 cannot be sentenced to death.

This case highlights the serious consequences of such violent crimes and the legal system’s role in delivering justice. It also underscores the importance of protecting minors from severe punishments based on their age at the time of the crime.