A 15-year old boy, Yahaya Yau, has died in controversial circumstances in Katsina after he was kicked in the stomach by his friend, Mannir (surname withheld).
The incident which was initially reported at the Sabon Gari police station by the deceased’s father, Mallam Yahaya Umaru, is now being investigated by the state Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.
Mannir appeared before a Katsina Senior Magistrate court on Thursday charged with culpable homicide.
He was subsequently remanded in the state’s Children’s Remand Home, Katsina.
According to the police, the incident happened at Abatua Quarters when the late Yahaya was playing with his friends, among who was Mannir.
The other friends that were reportedly at the scene included Adamu Mohammed, Usman Babangida and Haliru Babangida.
The police First Information Report with number: KT/802X/16, read in the court alleged that the offender “out of play, hit Yahaya Yau on his stomach with his leg as a result of which he developed serious stomach pain and was taken to the General Hospital, Katsina, where he later died.
The FIR added, “His corpse was examined and certified dead by the medical doctor. He (Mannir) thereby committed an offence contrary to section 222, subsection 7 of the penal code law.”
Police prosecutor, Insp. Kabir Muhammed, told the court that the offence was culpable homicide, adding that he was still awaiting legal advice on the case from the state Ministry of Justice.
He said, “The case is that of culpable homicide. We are still awaiting legal advice. We hereby apply for the new date for the case to be mentioned.”
The Presiding Senior Magistrate, Hajiya Dikko, in her ruling adjourned the case till March 6, 2017 for mention and ordered that the accused be remanded in the children’s remand home.
