Court remands Kano housewife accused of poisoning her stepson to death

A Shari’a Court in Kano has remanded a housewife, Fatima Ishaq, in custody over allegations that she poisoned and k!lled her one-and-a-half-year-old stepson.

The prosecution informed the court that the incident occurred on August 27, 2024. 

According to the report, the child entered the defendant’s room and emerged shortly after with poison in his mouth, which led to his d3ath.

The prosecuting counsel, Barrister Mutawakil, read the charge of culpable homicide.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Due to the absence of prosecution witnesses, the presiding judge, Abdu Abdullahi Wayya, invoked the Islamic legal procedure known as Qasama.

The judge asked the complainant to swear on the Holy Qur’an 50 times to affirm the accusation, but the complainant declined to do so.

The defendant, conversely, agreed to take the oath to prove her innocence.

The court adjourned the case until January 22, 2026 for the continuation of the proceedings and the formal administration of the oath. The defendant will remain in custody pending the adjourned date.