Nigerian Woman Kills Her Son With Rat Poison

"I picked my son, Ishaya, on the 23 of January, 2008 from Biu to to Azare but since I had not informed my husband who was against my son staying with us, I was afraid of taking him home. So, I had to buy N20 rat poison and matches and I took my son into the bush and gave him the poison and watched him die after 30 minutes. Then, I used his cloth and some dry grasses to burn his face and body so that he could not be traced to me."

Those were the confessional statement of Rebecca Emmanuel, who has just been sentenced to death by hanging for taking the life of her own son. She committed the nefarious act because her new husband warned her not to bring the child to his home. So, she had to kill him in order to avoid his wrath. But she could not keep the crime secret as she went and revealed it to her father who, in turn, called in the police.

Delivering judgement on the matter, Justice Pindar Haruna of the Maiduguri High Court said: “I wish I can temper justice with mercy; but I can’t; my hands are tied. Consequently, the convict is hereby sentenced to death. And she shall die by hanging.”

The judge further reasoned that the accused person’s confessional statement, and the fact that her son was last seen with her, are enough grounds to convict her, in accordance with Section 27 Subsection 1 and 2 of the Evidence Act... The judgement awaits the ratification of the state governor.