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

A corps member identified as Jepthan Peter Makwin serving in Bebeji Local Government Area has been remanded by a Kano State magistrates’ court sitting at Nomansland on Friday for beating 8-year-old boy to death.

WITHIN NIGERIA learnt that the deceased named Hassan Sulaiman, a pupil of Old Mosque Islamiyah School, Bebeji died in October 2019 after allegedly being beaten by Makwin.

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

The prosecuting counsel, Nasiru Fagge objected the application filed by the defense counsel and the matter was adjourned till February 4, 2020 after magistrate listened to the argument of both parties and bail application was denied.

However, the mother of the deceased, 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).

While reacting on the incident, 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.