Court Sentences 28-year-old Woman to Death by Hanging for Stabbing and Setting Her Husband Ablaze

An Effurun High Court has sentenced a 28-year-old woman, Mary Attah for stabbing her husband with a kitchen knife and setting him ablaze, THISDAY reports.

The prosecution counsel, Patrick Makeko told the court that Mary was married to Darlington Attah (now deceased) and they have four children together.

He said that on or around July 6 2012, Mary attacked her husband with a kitchen knife as a result of a phone call which she alleged was from her husband’s lawyer.

According to Patrick, they were having a “nice time” when the call came in, so she rushed to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and also armed herself with pepper which she rubbed on her husband’s face before stabbing him in the neck.

Patrick added that she poured fuel on her already bleeding husband and set him ablaze. The man died at the Warri Central Hospital.

Delivering the ruling, Justice E.I Oritsejafor said

From the evidence before this court and in particular the extrajudicial statement of the accused person, Exhibit A and the evidence of PW1 and PW2 which corroborates and is consistent with the facts contained in the said extrajudicial statement Exhibit A, I hold that the prosecution his proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person murdered her deceased husband on or about July 6, 2012, and I find the accused person guilty of the murder of Darlington Attah as charged.

Accused person is accordingly, hereby convicted of the offence of murder.

The sentence of this court upon you, Mary Attah is death by hanging by the neck till you be dead and may the Lord have mercy on your soul.