Two brothers, Ibrahim Yusuf, 62 and Samaila Yusuf, 48, have confessed to killing their 85-year-old father, Yusuf Kwada, whom they accused of practising witchcraft in Zah village, Michika Local Government Area, Adamawa.
The two brothers on Wednesday told a Jimeta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Yola, presided over by Bilkisu Tijjaji, that they killed their father by hitting him on the head with a stick.
The siblings were arraigned by the police, on a two-count charge bothering on criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide
When asked by the Chief Magistrate whether the allegations against them were true, the defendants, who had no legal representation in court, admitted to the commission of 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.
“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,” the older of the siblings said
The two brothers on June 9, 2024, reportedly lured their octogenarian father into the bush where they allegedly clubbed him to death and dumped his corpse in the bush, according to a Police First Information Report (FIR).
Earlier, the Prosecution Counsel, ASP Ezra Bulus told the court that the complainant, Amina Ibrahim, of Zah village, Michika LGA, daughter of the deceased, reported the matter at the police station on July 1, at 10:00 a.m.
The counsel said that the alleged offences were grievous crimes which required legal advice of the DPP and prayed the court to adjourn the matter until July 30.
He stated that the offences contravened the provisions of Section160 and 191 of the Penal Code Law of Adamawa 2018
The Chief Magistrate, Bilikisu Tijani, who did not take the pleas of the defendants because of lack of jurisdiction, ordered their remand in the correctional centre.
The Chief Magistrate directed that the case file should be duplicated and a copy sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.
Tijani subsequently adjourned the case to July 30, for mention or receipt of outcome of DPP’s advice.
“This case has been adjourned to July 30, to enable the police finish their investigation and to forward the case file to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice,” the Chief Magistrate said.