Five men have been sentenced to death by hanging in Nigeria’s Kano state for the 2023 murder of 67-year-old Dahare Abubakar, who was accused of witchcraft.
The men attacked her while she was working on her farm, beating and stabbing her. The murder stemmed from a dream by the wife of one of the accused, who believed Abubakar was responsible for her illness.
The prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, with Judge Usman Na’abba emphasizing the seriousness of wrongful accusations. The case has sparked national discussions on witchcraft-related murders in rural areas.
The convicted men plan to appeal, but the death penalty is rarely carried out in Nigeria.