A Kano State High Court issued a death sentence by hanging to Chinese national Frank Geng Quangrong for fatally stabbing his Nigerian lover, Ummukulsum Buhari. The verdict was delivered yesterday, with Frank, a resident of Railway Quarters in Kano, found guilty of culpable homicide.
The presiding judge, Justice Sanusi Ma’aji, rendered the judgment, emphasizing that the prosecution had convincingly established the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Justice Ma’aji highlighted the inconsistency in Frank’s testimony and declared him guilty, urging clemency from the Kano State Governor on the convict’s behalf.
“The defendant’s testimony is inconsistent. I hereby find him guilty. I hereby recommend mercy by the Kano State Governor on behalf of the convict,” Justice Ma’aji said.
During the trial, the state’s Attorney-General, Haruna Dederi, detailed the heinous act committed by the convict on September 16, 2022, at Janbulo Quarters in Kano. He recounted how Frank stabbed Ummukulsum in her residence at Janbulo Quarters around 9 p.m., citing an undisclosed motive for the violent act. Despite pleading not guilty, Frank was convicted based on the prosecution’s evidence.
“The victim was rushed to the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital Kano, where she was confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he said.
Following the court’s decision, Attorney-General Haruna Dederi hailed the judgment as a significant milestone for the state’s legal system. However, the defence counsel, Muhammad Dan’zumi, expressed plans to appeal the ruling at the Court of Appeal, citing grounds for appeal identified in the judgment, setting the stage for further legal proceedings in this high-profile case.
