Mallam Mubarak Hassan, a 27-year-old Islamic cleric, was given a 15-year prison sentence by a Taraba State High Court in Jalingo for the mu3der of Mustapha Ishyaku, a 16-year-old boy.

Hassan k!lled Ishyaku in the Gassol Local Government Area’s Mutum Biyu.

In a ruling on Friday, March 27, 2026, Taraba State Chief Judge Joel Agya found Hassan guilty of culpable h0micide not punishable by d3ath and sentenced him to 15 years in prison without the possibility of a fine.

He added that the jail term is to run from March 3, 2022, the day he was arrested by the police.

Justice Agya however, discharged and acquitted the defendant on the charges of abduction and kidnapping.

He recalled that the case between the State vs Mubarak Hassan was filed on June 20, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney General of the state.

He said the first count bordered on abduction of a person, punishable under Section 3(a) of the Taraba State Kidnapping and Abduction Prohibition (Amendment) Law No. 2 of 2019, while the second count was culpable homicide, punishable under Section 221(a) of the Penal Code Law of Taraba State, 1997.

He further recalled that the prosecution alleged that Hassan abducted the victim, m8rdered him and buried his body in a shallow grave along Dankuturu in Mutum Biyu, Gassol local government.

According to the CJ, the prosecution failed to prove the allegation of kidnapping and abduction beyond reasonable doubt.

AB