The Gombe State High Court No. 5, presided over by Justice A.M. Haruna, has ordered the amputation of Abdullahi Suleiman’s right hand after finding him guilty of severing the hand of a 14-year-old boy, Khalifa Abubakar, with a machete.
The incident occurred on February 12, 2022, during a wedding ceremony that escalated into a brawl.
The groom had asked everyone to leave due to the commotion. As people were dispersing, Abdullahi Suleiman, a resident of Wajari village, used a machete to clear the crowd along with other youths.
According to the police, Khalifa Abubakar, who stopped to pick up his shoe that had fallen while running, was struck by Abdullahi, resulting in the complete severance of his right hand. Khalifa’s relatives rushed him to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe, where doctors treated him.
Following the attack, Khalifa’s family reported the case to the police station in Deba. Although Suleiman was initially granted bail, the government later took over the case, and the State Counsel, Barrister Y.G. Ahmad, filed a suit at the Gombe State High Court No. 5 under case number GM/88c/2022.
During the trial, five prosecution witnesses, including Khalifa Abubakar himself, testified against Suleiman. Three eyewitnesses confirmed that Abdullahi struck Khalifa, and a medical doctor provided expert testimony regarding the nature of the injury and treatment provided.
In his defense, Abdullahi presented two witnesses, but their testimonies were deemed insufficient.
After evaluating the evidence, the court found Abdullahi Suleiman guilty of the charges and sentenced him to two years’ imprisonment or a fine of N50,000. He was also ordered to pay N134,540 as compensation for Khalifa’s medical expenses.
However, the most striking part of the judgment was the directive to amputate Abdullahi’s right hand, mirroring the injury he inflicted on Khalifa.