Thirty-Year-Old Sentenced To Death

A Tamale High Court presided over by Mr Jerome Noble Nkrumah, on Thursday sentenced Abubakari Iddrisu, 30, to death by hanging. The convict, who pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder, and two counts of causing harm, was convicted by a seven-member jury which unanimously found him guilty of all the three charges. He was to serve additional 50 years for two counts of causing bodily harm. Prosecuting, Mr. Salia Abdul-Qudus, Principal State Attorney, told the court that on 17th March 2010, the convict caused the death of Mustapa Jelil, a pupil, and caused harm to Mohammed Mustapha and Mustapha Aliu, all children of his brother. He said at about 04:00 hours, Iddrisu slashed the throat of the deceased, and caused deep wounds to his two other siblings when they were sleeping on their compound at Lamashegu, a suburb of Tamale and accused the children of pilfering his money he earned from bakery. He said the cry of the children suddenly woke their mother up and upon witnessing the bizarre scene raised an alarm. The prosecution said the convict became afraid for his life, and bolted into a nearby forest, but he was later arrested by the community members and handed over to the Police. Counsel for the convict, Arif Abdala argued that his client was not the offender of the act. When given the chance to say his last words, the convict, who had neither a wife nor children, pleaded with the court to have mercy on him, since he wanted to further his education.