Husband sentenced to death for murdering wife

The Special Criminal Court yesterday convicted and sentenced to death, one Sheriff Aba Hydara of Nuimi Bakalarr village in the North Bank Region, for the murder of his wife.

The convict, believed to be an 81-year-old man, was found guilty of the murder of his wife and for attempted murder.

During one of the proceedings in his trial, Sheriff Aba Hydara admitted, before an open court, to shooting his wife with three bullets in order, "to put an end" to his wife's control of his garden.

"Anytime I asked my wife about the proceeds of the garden, she would refuse. As a result, I shot her with three bullets in order to put an end to that,” the convict told the court.

Justice Ikpala in delivering his judgment stated that the convict was arraigned on 16th November 2010 and charged with murder and attempted murder, and that he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

He said the prosecution in support of their case had called in five witnesses, while the convict testified on his own behalf without calling any witness, adding that the prosecution tendered a gun and nine live bullets that were said to have been recovered from the convict as exhibits.

The trial judge further told the court that the convict was very blunt in his defence, and showed no sign of remorse, which makes it clear that he shot his wife four times with a gun because his wife wanted to inherit his property, while he was alive, which according to him amounts to suicide.

He further adduced that the convict was neither embarrassed nor harassed, noting that the prosecution had proven their case beyond all reasonable doubt.

According to Justice Ikpala, even the confessional statement made by the convict, coupled with the gun and nine bullets that were recovered from him, were enough for a conviction.

Justice Ikpala said that the convict killed his wife, and intended to kill his children and, therefore, the court found him guilty of the offence charged.

Defence counsel Mrs Ngozi, in her plea of mitigation, told the court that the convict had no criminal record before and, therefore, sentencing him to death would be detrimental to the family, as they had already lost the mother.

He finally urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

However, the court convicted and sentenced him to death.