Father jailed 6 yrs for killing his 9-month-old sick son with herbicide

BAUCHI — The Bauchi State High Court Number 10 presided by Justice Abdulkadir Hussein Suleiman has sentenced a father to six years in prison for administering chemical herbicide to his 9-month-old child. Counsel to the state Ministry of Justice, Mr Sha’awanatu Yusuf, earlier told the court that on June 6, 2013, the convict, Shitu Adamu of Zakshi village in Toro Local Government Area poisoned his nine-month-old biological son by administering herbicide chemical on him and as a result, the son died on the spot. He said the act was culpable homicide punishable with death contrary to section 221 of the penal code. In his evidence, the Police prosecutor, Sgt. Caiphas Adamu, told the court that the accused, who is a father of two, confessed to have committed the crime during investigation. He said his nine-month-old son was sick and his wife, who was four-month pregnant, took him to hospital. The Police prosecutor said his wife gave her husband a list of prescription, but he complained that he had no money at that time, so he administered a chemical herbicide on his son, thinking that it will cure the sickness, unfortunately the boy died. The prosecutor said the accused attributed his action to poverty and unemployment and regretted his action in his confessional statement. In her evidence, wife of the accused, Lantana Shitu, said she went to fetch water in a pond and when she came back, she saw that her son was vomiting and later died. She said: “I did not know what happened until three days later when our village head called my husband concerning the issue and he confessed that he was the one that poisoned his son with herbicide.” In his judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Abdulkadir Suleiman, said he considered the accused’s plea for leniency made on his behalf by his counsel. According to Justice Suleiman, “I have also taken into account that the convict is the first offender and appears to be remorseful throughout the trial. I hereby sentence him to six years imprisonment commencing from June 24, 2013, the day he was remanded in prison custody.”