Two sentenced to death for armed robbery, murder of man in Gombe

A Gombe State High Court has pronounced two men, Buhari Sule and Muktari Ali Hilami, guilty of death by hanging for armed robbery and the murder of 35-year-old Murtala Rabi'u. Justice Muhammad-Auwal Haruna, presiding over Case No. 5 on Wednesday, convicted the duo of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and culpable homicide. The incident unfolded on September 18, 2025, in Garin Galadima village, near Pindiga in Akko Local Government Area of Gombe State.

Prosecutors claimed that Sule and Hilami conspired, armed themselves with sticks and hoes, and assaulted Rabi'u before stealing his mobile phone and N7,400. State counsel, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, stated that the defendants agreed to attack Rabi'u, equipped themselves with dangerous weapons, and disposed of his body in a maize farm after the assault.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants took Rabi'u's Itel keypad phone, devoid of a SIM card, and split the N7,400 after burying his corpse in the farm. The defendants pleaded not guilty upon the charges being read and explained to them. During the trial, the prosecution presented two witnesses, while the defense called one witness, who was cross-examined by the opposing sides.

Justice Haruna, in his verdict, determined that the prosecution had substantiated the charges beyond reasonable doubt, citing the testimony of the first prosecution witness. The judge also ruled that the defendants failed to counter their defense against the charges. Consequently, Sule and Hilami were sentenced to death by hanging, with the order for their execution stating, "hanged by the neck until they are dead."