A Federal High Court in Asokoro, has sentenced a 22-year-old cleaner, Maryam Adewumi, to 20 years imprisonment for stabbing her 35-year-old boyfriend, Shallom Oliseh, to death.

Ms  Adewunmi was charged with culpable homicide punishable by death.

Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, however held that the prosecution counsel, Adama Musa, had proven that Ms Adewunmi was guilty with culpable homicide not punishable by death.

”I find the defendant guilty of culpable homicide not punishable with death and convict her,” the judge held.

The Defence Counsel, Williams Ataguba, told the court that the convict had no past criminal record before the court and in her testimony, stated that she is a mother of two.

Mr Ataguba said that the children needed to be taken care of noting that they were with the convict’s grandmother before she passed on while both of her parents are deceased.

He prayed for the court to show her mercy saying she had been in detention for more than two years and if given the opportunity, would improve herself going forward in life.

Justice Nwosu-Iheme however sentenced the convict to 20 years imprisonment which starts from the day she was arrested on July 5, 2024.

The prosecution counsel told the court that Ms Adewumi engaged in a physical fight with the deceased, and stabbed him on his chest with a knife in Kurudu, Abuja on July 5, 2024.

Mr Musa said Ms Adewumi’s act caused the deceased severe bodily injury and eventually led to his death which she knew would be the probable consequence of her action.

The offence, he said, contravened the provisions of section 220(a), (b) of the Penal Code and punishable under 221.

Ms Adewumi however told the court that she stabbed Mr Oliseh in self-defence and did not intend to kill him.

(NAN)