Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Gombe State High Court has sentenced two men, Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami, to death by hanging after finding them guilty of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide in connection with the death of 35-year-old Murtala Rabi’u.
The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, by Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna, who presided over Court No. 5 of the Gombe State High Court. The case arose from an incident that occurred on September 18, 2025, at Garin Galadima village, near Pindiga in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.
According to evidence presented by the prosecution and accepted by the court, Sule and Hilami were involved in an attack on Rabi’u during which the victim was robbed of his mobile phone and N7,400 in cash. The prosecution alleged that the two men had agreed to carry out the robbery and armed themselves with dangerous objects before confronting the deceased.
The prosecution’s case was that the items taken from Rabi’u included an Itel keypad phone without a SIM card and the cash. It further told the court that the money was later shared between the defendants after the victim was left in a maize farm. Rabi’u subsequently died from injuries sustained during the incident.
The prosecution, led by state counsel Abdulkadir Umar Ibrahim, told the court that the offences were punishable under Sections 97, 297 and 221 of the Penal Code Law. The provisions were relied upon in bringing the charges of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide against the defendants.
When the charges were read and explained to them at the beginning of the trial, both Sule and Hilami pleaded not guilty. Their plea meant the prosecution was required to establish the allegations against them to the required standard of proof before the court could convict them.
During the proceedings, the prosecution called two witnesses who gave evidence and were cross-examined by the defence. The defence subsequently called one witness, who was also cross-examined by the prosecution. The court therefore considered evidence from both sides before reaching its decision.
Defence counsel Barrister A.B. Danmamman represented the two defendants during the proceedings. The defence maintained its position through the trial, but the court ultimately found that the evidence placed before it was sufficient to establish the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
In delivering judgment, Justice Haruna said the court had carefully examined the charges, the evidence presented by the prosecution and the testimony offered by the defence. The judge placed particular reliance on the evidence of the first prosecution witness in determining that the case had been proved to the required legal standard.
Justice Haruna held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and that the defendants had failed to establish a credible defence capable of defeating the case against them. The court consequently convicted both men of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and culpable homicide.
The sentence imposed by the court was death by hanging. The judgment means the two men have been given the maximum punishment available under the relevant law for the offences for which they were convicted, although the sentence remains subject to the legal process that may follow a death sentence.
The case highlights the serious legal consequences attached to violent robbery resulting in death under Nigeria’s criminal justice system. It also demonstrates the importance of the trial process, during which the prosecution presented witnesses, the defence was given an opportunity to challenge the evidence, and the court evaluated the competing cases before reaching its verdict.
The judgment also closes the trial stage of a case that dates back more than a year. The alleged attack took place in September 2025, while the conviction and sentence were delivered in October 2026. The period between the incident and judgment reflects the time required for the matter to proceed through the High Court, including the presentation and testing of evidence.
For the prosecution, the judgment confirms the court’s acceptance of its case that the two defendants acted together in the robbery and were responsible for the death that followed. For the defence, the conviction represents an adverse outcome after the court rejected the defence position and concluded that the prosecution had met the burden of proof.
The decision does not, however, automatically mean that the sentence will be carried out immediately. As with death sentences in Nigeria, the convicted persons remain within the judicial and constitutional framework governing such sentences, including any applicable right of appeal and other required legal steps before an execution could take place.
As of the latest reports available on October 8, 2026, there was no verified indication in the sources reviewed that an appeal had already been filed or that any further court order had altered the sentence. The confirmed position is that the High Court convicted the two men and imposed the death sentence after finding the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
The identities of the two convicted men and the details of the case have been reported by multiple Nigerian news organisations following the judgment. Reports consistently identify Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami as the defendants, Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna as the presiding judge, and Murtala Rabi’u as the 35-year-old victim.
The judgment is another reminder of the continuing role of state High Courts in handling serious criminal cases, particularly offences involving armed robbery, homicide and conspiracy. It also underscores the principle that a criminal conviction must rest on evidence presented in court and assessed against the applicable standard of proof.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, the court found the two men guilty on all three counts and imposed the death sentence. Any further development in the case will depend on the legal steps available to the convicted persons and the outcome of any subsequent proceedings.
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