Chinese man who killed Kano girlfriend to die by hanging – Court

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

A High Court in Kano state has sentenced a Chinese national,  Frank Geng Quanrong to death by hanging for killing his lover, Ummukulsum Sani  Buhari in the state.

On September 16, 2022, Quangrong stabbed his 23-year-old lover to death at her family house at Janbulo quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

He was instantly arrested by Police and sued.

During the trial, the prosecution counsel, the then Attorney-General, MA Lawan, presented six witnesses to prove the case.

The six witnesses include the deceased’s biological mother, her sister, a neighbor, Inspector of Police Officers from Dorayi Babba Police Station and the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Bompai, respectively.

The defendant, Quangrong, also testified in his defense.

In his verdict on Tuesday, Justice Sunusi Ado Ma’aji found that the prosecution counsel had proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

He concluded that the defendant intentionally killed Ms Buhari, popularly known as Ummita by entering her family house without invitation.

Additionally, Justice Ma’aji stated that the defense counsel, Barrister Muhammad Dan’azumi, had failed to establish a claim of self-defense, as the stabbing occurred in the neck extra-judicially.

Consequently, the Chinese national was sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his lover as per Section 221 of the Penal Code Law.

Justice Ma’aji delivered the verdict, concluding with a prayer for God’s mercy upon the defendant.

The judge further recommended that the Committee of Prerogative of Mercy may look into the Quangrong’s case if they so wished, in accordance with the provisions of Section 113 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, Kano 2019, as prayed by Defense Counsel Barrister Muhammad Dan’azumi.

In response to the judgment, the Kano State Attorney General Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi described it as a landmark decision for the state.

Defense counsel Barrister Muhammad Dan’zumi stated his intention to appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal, citing grounds for appeal found in the judgment.

Justice Watch News learned that the prosecution of the case was instituted by the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Musa Abdullahi Lawan, with the current Attorney General of Kano State, Barrister Haruna Isa Dederi, overseeing the verdict.