Court remands Corps member in custody for murder of 8-year-old boy in Kano

A Kano State magistrates’ court, sitting at Nomansland, on Friday remanded Jepthan Peter Makwin, a corps member serving in Bebeji Local Government Area, in custody for murder for the death of an eight- year- old boy.

The deceased Hassan Sulaiman, a class three pupil of Old Mosque Islamiyah School, Bebeji, died in October 2019, after allegedly being beaten by Makwin.

During the arraignment on Friday , the defence counsel filed an application for the bail of the accused person , before the presiding magistrate, Fatima Adamu.

The application was however objected by the prosecuting counsel, Nasiru Fagge .
The magistrate, after listening to the argument of both parties, adjourned the matter till February 4, 2020, for hearing of the bail application .

Meanwhile, the victim’s mother, Zainab Abubakar Sulaiman had said that Makwin caused the death of her son.

“He is culpable and I will never forgive him,” she said.

Sulaiman Aliyu, the victims’ father told reporters that late Hassan and friends used to visit the NYSC Lodge to collect fruits of the Umbrella tree.

“The Corps members love children and freely distribute the fruits to them. After they had given them on Thursday, Hassan went back for more but this particular member got angry. He beat my boy, banged his head to the wall and kicked him severally.”

Mr Aliyu said they refused to take revenge as they believe in Allah and have confidence that the government will ensure justice.

A family friend, Alhassan Muhammad Rabiu, who took late Hassan to a hospital in Bebeji said the boy lost his life after he was taken by the police.

The accused was arrested while the case had been transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID).

The Kano state NYSC coordinator, Ladan Baba denied that Mr Makwin was responsible for Hassan’s death.

Mr Baba said Mr Makwin ran after the deceased who came in to pluck fruits from an umbrella Tree within the NYSC Lodge.

“In the process, the boy fell and hit his head on the wall of the entrance of the Lodge. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and was afterwards confirmed dead,” Mr Baba said.