The Kano State High Court No. 24, sitting at the Audu Bako Secretariat, has adjourned the trial of Aisha Ismail to 3 December 2026. Justice Aisha Mahmud continued hearing the case on Friday.
Ismail, from Tabanni in Bichi Local Government Area, faces a charge of culpable homicide punishable under Section 221 of the Penal Code. The prosecution alleges she administered rat poison to her co-wife’s baby, leading to the child’s death.
The prosecution counsel, Barrister Ummi Habib Almajir, presented the third prosecution witness, Abubakar Musa, the husband’s nephew. Musa was cross-examined and gave detailed explanations before the court discharged him after his testimony. The prosecution had earlier presented two witnesses.
The court adjourned the matter for the prosecution to present its final witness. The case has moved slowly by design. Each adjournment adds another month to a trial that began with an allegation of domestic homicide. The defendant remains before the court. The victim remains dead.
This mirrors the pace of criminal trials in Kano and across Nigeria’s high courts. A culpable homicide case that should be resolved within a year often stretches beyond two. Witnesses relocate. Memories fade. Prosecution counsel are reassigned. The defendant sits in custody or on bail, waiting for a system that moves at its own speed.
The human stakes extend beyond the courtroom. A child is dead. A family is divided. Two women who shared a husband now face each other through legal counsel. The adjournment is a procedural step. It is also a reminder that justice in Nigeria is measured in years, not months.
Winners and Losers
Winners: The prosecution, which gained a third witness testimony and a clear path to closing its case. The defence, which gained another month to prepare its response.
Losers: The deceased child, whose case remains unresolved. The family, which must wait through another adjournment. The defendant, whose fate remains suspended.
Bottom Line: A court date is not a verdict. The prosecution has one witness left. The defence will have its turn. Until then, a dead child waits for justice in a system that moves one adjournment at a time.