Five men were sentenced to death hanged in the Nigerian State of Kano for killing a woman in 2023, which they accused of witchcraft.
The convicted men attacked Dahare Abubakar, 67, as she worked on her farm, beating her and stabbing her to death.
Mrs. Abubakar’s family went to the authorities, and the suspects were quickly arrested in the village 45 km (28 miles) from Kana – the largest city in northern Nigeria.
The case has attracted attention throughout the country and launched discussions about how people in rural areas continue to kill themselves after witch charges.
Those who give claims without any evidence believe that those who accuse responsible or for the death of a family member, illness or accident.
Giving his judgment, Judge Usman Na’abba said the prosecution proved their case against five men out of reasonable doubt.
The prosecutor, Abba Sorondiki, said he hoped that the verdict would distract others to bring wrong charges and then to take things into their own hands.
The court heard that the victim was killed after the sick wife of one of the accused, Abdulaziz Yahaya, dreamed of spending Ms Abubakar, who held her knife.
Yahaya organized a group at the time to face Mrs. Abubakar, which resulted in her murder.
“There have been similar cases like this, but this is the first time we have come to five people sentenced to death for killing the wrong accusation of witchcraft,” Mr. Sorondiki told the BBC.
The son of the victim, Musa Yahay, said that the day his mother was killed was the worst day in his life and that he was glad he saw justice to serve.
“I’m happy because they would get the same treatment they made to my mother,” he said.
Defense lawyer Ma’aruf Yakasai said his clients plan to appeal the verdict.
The death penalty is rarely carried out in Nigeria, and those convicted often spend the rest of their lives in prison at a death penalty.
