The main suspect in the murder of five-year-old Hanifa Abubakar in Kano, Abdulmalik Tanko has denied killing the girl and pleaded not guilty.
Tanko accused of abducting and killing Hanifa has denied the allegations levelled against him and two others in court during the trial on Monday.
National Daily reports that Hanifa Abubakar was abducted on December 4th,2021 while on her way back from Islamiyya and subsequently discovered to have been killed by her teacher and school proprietor, Abdulmalik Tanko, after demanding N6m ransom, at Dakata, Nasarawa local government area of Kano State.
Abdulmalik Tanko had earlier at the Kano State Police Headquarters confessed to journalists that he kidnapped and killed the victim with N100 rat poison before burying her remains in a shallow grave in one of his schools.
At the continuation of the trial , Abdulmalik Tanko and Hashimu also denied allegations that Hanifa was poisoned and buried in a school, as seen in a video earlier in the day
They only responded to one-third of the charges read to them, which was conspiracy.
Fatima, one of the suspects, also denied allegations read to her by writing a letter to Hanifa’s parents stating that a ransom of N6 million was required on behalf of Abdulmalik Tanko.
Similarly, Fatima denied all the allegations leveled against her.
The prosecution Counsel, led by Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Musa Lawan asked the court to to allow them to present their evidence at the next hearing.
The presiding Judge, Justice Usman Naabba adjourned the case to March 2 and 3 for hearing.