Man Kills Neighbour Over Request For Local Liquor

A Yola Magistrates` Court has remanded one Thompson Gutiri of Tambo ward in Girei local government for allegedly killing his neighbour Napthali Santana for refusing to buy him a local liquor.

Magistrate Alheri Ishaku Adiel of the Chief Magistrates` Court I Admin remanded the defendant after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

The crisis between the duo dated back to 12 years ago shortly after the demise of Gutiri, the defendant's father, when the community invited a native doctor to unravel the circumstances surrounding the mysterious death of Gutiri.

The community agreed to contribute N1,000 to engage the services of the native doctor and the late Santana doubled his contribution to N2,000.

The native doctor fingered the late Santana who he accused of bewitching the late

Gutiri. Since that time the defendant and Santana (now deceased) had been sworn enemies.

On 22nd October, 2022, the deceased met the defendant at a local beer parlour and asked him to buy a local liquor for him.

Thompson reportedly declined the request and his action infuriated Santana who followed the defendant to his residence, armed with a cutlass where he cut three of the defendant's fingers and inflicted a deep cut on his head with the weapon.

The defendant in selfdefence used his spear and stabbed the deceased on the neck which led to his death.

The prosecutor, Inspector S. S. Nicholas, requested that the matter be adjourned to enable the prosecution to transmit the case file to the director of public prosecution (DPP) for advice.

The magistrate adjourned the matter to 29th November, 2022.