Court Sentences Man to Hand Amputation for Severing 14-Year-Old Boy’s Hand in Gombe

The Gombe State High Court No. 5, presided over by Justice A.M. Haruna, has sentenced Abdullahi Suleiman to have one of his hands amputated after being found guilty of severing the hand of 14-year-old Khalifa Abubakar with a machete.

The incident took place on February 12, 2022, in Moddibo village, Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, during a wedding ceremony that turned into a brawl.

As the groom asked guests to leave due to the commotion, Abdullahi Suleiman, a resident of Wajari village, attempted to disperse the crowd alongside other youths using a machete.

According to police reports, Khalifa Abubakar stopped to retrieve his fallen shoe while fleeing, at which point Abdullahi struck him with the machete, severing his right hand.

Khalifa was rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital in Gombe, where doctors provided medical treatment for his injury.

Following the attack, Khalifa’s family reported the incident to the police station in Deba.

Although Abdullahi Suleiman was initially granted bail, the government later took over the case, and 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, the court heard testimonies from five prosecution witnesses, including Khalifa Abubakar, who confirmed that Abdullahi Suleiman was responsible for the attack.

Three eyewitnesses testified that they saw Abdullahi strike Khalifa during the altercation, while a medical doctor who treated the victim provided evidence regarding the severity of the injury and the treatment administered.

In his defense, Abdullahi presented two witnesses, but their testimonies were found to be insufficient.

After reviewing the evidence, the court found Abdullahi Suleiman guilty of the charges.

In delivering the verdict, the court acknowledged that Suleiman had expressed remorse and pleaded for forgiveness.

His counsel, Y.A. Waziri, requested that they be allowed to provide Khalifa with a prosthetic hand as restitution, but the court rejected this plea.

Satisfied with the evidence and arguments presented, the court sentenced Suleiman to two years in prison or a fine of N50,000.

Additionally, he was ordered to pay N134,540 as compensation for Khalifa’s medical expenses.

However, the most striking part of the judgment was the order for the amputation of Suleiman’s right hand, mirroring the injury he inflicted on Khalifa, as a deterrent to others.