The Kano State Government on Thursday re-arraigned a Chinese national, Frank Geng-Quangrong,. 47, before a Kano High Court for alleged murder of his Nigerian girlfriend, Ummukulsum Sani,22.
Frank, who lives at Railway Quarters Kano is charged with culpable homicide.
The court had on Oct.4, ordered the Kano Govt to provide an interpreter for the defendant.
When the case came up for re-arraignment, the Prosecutor, who is also the Attorney General of Kano State, Musa Abdullahi-Lawan, presented Mr Guo Cumru, from the Chinese Embassy to interpret English to Chinese Language to the defendant.
He told the court that the defendant committed the offence on Sept.16, at Janbulo Quarters Gwale Local Government Area of Kano.
The prosecutor alleged that on the same date at about 9 p.m the defendant stabbed Sani with a knife in her house at Janbulo quarters Kano for undisclosed reasons.
“We are ready and intend to present five witnesses, we don’t want to take much time as the interpreter is from Abuja,” he said.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Abdullahi-Lawan said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 221(b) of the Penal Code.
Mr Muhammad Umar, who held brief for the nominal complainant.
Responding the Defence Counsel, Mr Muhammad Dan’azumi, earlier objected that in a criminal case there is no procedure for holding brief.
Justice Sanusi Ado-Ma’aji, ordered the remand of the defendant in a correctional centre.
He adjourned the matter until Nov.16, Nov. 17 and Nov. 18, for hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the defendant was first charged before a Chief Magistrate’s court because the State Counsel raised an objection insisting that the lower court lacked jurisdiction to hear such a criminal suit.