The Jimeta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Yola, on Wednesday, ordered the remand of two brothers accused of murdering their 85-year-old father, Ibrahim Yusuf-Kwada.
The suspects, Ibrahim Yusuf, 62, and Samaila Yusuf, 48, from Zah village in Michika Local Government Area, Adamawa, face charges of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.
Chief Magistrate Bilikisu Tijani, citing a lack of jurisdiction, did not take the defendants’ plea and instead ordered their detention in a correctional facility.
She also instructed that the case file be duplicated and sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
The case was adjourned to July 30 for either mention or receipt of the DPP’s advice. “This case has been adjourned to July 30, to enable the police to finish their investigation and to forward the case file to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice,” stated the Chief Magistrate.
Prosecution Counsel, ASP Ezra Bulus, informed the court that Amina Ibrahim, the deceased’s daughter from Zah village, Michika LGA, reported the incident at the police station on July 1 at 10:00 a.m.
According to Bulus, Amina claimed that on June 9, the defendants conspired to kill their father and disposed of his body in the bush.
Bulus argued that the severity of the alleged crimes necessitated legal advice from the DPP, and requested the court to adjourn the matter until July 30.
He cited that the offences breached Sections 160 and 191 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa 2018.
When questioned by the Chief Magistrate, the defendants, who had no legal representation, confessed to the crime. “Truly we killed our father. We led him into the bush and while there we hit his head with a big stick and he died,” admitted the older sibling.
They explained their motive, stating, “We decided to kill him because he used diabolic ways to kill six of his grandchildren in the family. He also killed some people in our community. Everyone is speaking ill of our family; they call him a witch and we can’t stand the shame and hurt he has brought upon us.”
