A Kano State High Court presided over by Justice Dije Abdu Aboki has sentenced one Zainab Salisu and Tessy Chukwu (Maman Emma) to three years in prison each with compulsory fine of N300,000 each for criminal conspiracy in the process of kidnapping a two-year-old boy, Aliyu Dauda, from the lawful guardianship of his mother, Lubabatu Ali.
They were also sentenced to additional 18 months in default of payment of the fine.
The court also ordered that Zainab Salisu should serve her term with hard labour.
Earlier, the prosecutor told the court that the defendants with eight other accomplices criminally conspired on May 22, 2017, at about 1800 hours to do an illegal act, went to the house of Lubabatu Mallam Ali in Kawo Quarters, Hotoro, in Nassarawa LGA, Kano, diverted her attention and kidnapped her two-year-old son.
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The first to the 10th defendants in the case were Zainab Salisu (17), Umar Aliyu (16), Yahaya Salisu (11), Mustapha Rabi’u (13), Ibrahim Aliyu (15), Abubakar Salisu (13) and Fatima Salisu (10).
Others are Amina Ibrahim, popularly known as Amina Gara (86), Tessy Chukwu, popularly known as Maman Emma (36) and Christiana Uju (55).
The prosecution counsel, Barrister Tijjani Ibrahim, called five witnesses and after closing his submission, Tessy Chukwu and Christiana Uju, through their counsel, Barrister Fengak Gokir, made a no-case submission.
However, their submission favoured only Christiana Uju and she was discharged, while Tessy Chukwu was ordered to commence her defense.
The remaining defendants were led in evidence by their counsel, Barrister Umar Usman Danbaito and Barrister Rabiu Sani.
The 1st defendant, Zainab Salisu, was later arrested and tried separately.
In its final judgment, the court discharged two out of the seven defendants: Yahaya Salisu and Fatima Salisu, on the basis that they didn’t attain sufficient maturity at the time of committing the offence. The judge held that the duo could not be criminally responsible.
Although the remaining five defendants were discharged in respect of the offence of kidnapping, they were convicted for the offence of criminal conspiracy.
Three of the convicts, Mustapha Rabi’u, Ibrahim Aliyu and Abubakar Salisu, were sentenced to two years in prison with N200,000 fine each and additional 12 months in default of payment of the fine.
