Woman arrested for murdering her stepson

A 21-year-old woman, identified as Samsiya Hayatu, has been arrested by the Katsina State Command  Police over the death of her stepson, Ahmed, who suffered third-degree burns, after being scalded by hot water.

The two-year-old Ahmed lived with his father, Hayatu, and the stepmother at Yandaki town in the Kaita Local Government Area of Katsina State before the incident.

Northern City News had reported the death of the toddler last month.

Competent police sources revealed that Samsiya was picked up and subsequently arraigned for culpable homicide before a Katsina State Senior Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

The Katsina Police Command spokesman, DSP Gambo Isah, confirmed the development to journalists.

He said, “Samsiya has been picked up and arraigned before a competent court. The court will determine her innocence or otherwise.”

Findings at the magistrates’ court confirmed that Samsiya was arraigned before a senior magistrate, Falile Dikko, but her plea was not taken as she was suspected to be mentally unstable.

According to sources at the court, the magistrate directed the police to first ascertain the true state of Samsiya’s mental health before arraigning her.

One of the sources, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Samsiya displayed signs of mental illness when she was arraigned before the senior magistrate.

“The senior magistrate directed the police to take her to a government psychiatric hospital to determine the state of her mental health and she gave them one month within which to do that before bringing her back to court.”

Ahmed died about three weeks ago at the Katsina General Hospital after doctors tried unsuccessfully to save his life.

Our correspondent had reported that Ahmed was referred to the hospital on September 5, 2017 from Yandaki Primary Health Care Centre where he was initially admitted following injuries he sustained from the hot water prepared by his stepmother.

Source: ( Northern News  )