Rebecca Emmanuel

Name

Rebecca Emmanuel

Background

Rebecca Emmanuel was a Nigerian woman who was sentenced to death and later had her sentence commuted to life in prison.

The offence

Rebecca Emmanuel was convicted of culpable homicide punishable with death under section 221 of the Penal Code for poisoning her nine-year-old son, Ishaya Emmanuel, in order to deceive her new husband that she was a virgin.

On 20 January 2008, Rebecca Emmanuel lured her son, Ishaya Emmanuel, to a bush where she gave him a Maltina drink laced with poison. Ishaya Emmanuel died after drinking the poison. After his death, Rebecca Emmanuel burnt the corpse.

Rebecca Emmanuel made confessional statements during the trial. In her confessional statement, she said:

“I went to my father’s house and picked my child. We got to a place where I got a poisonous substance at the sum of N20 and matches. I took him to a bush and laced the substance in a bottle of Maltina. “I made him drink it. After 30 minutes, the boy died and I set him ablaze, so that no one could recognise him and I left for my husband’s house.”

The trial judge was satisfied by the confessional statement made by the accused person.

Trial

Rebecca Emmanuel was accused of poisoning her nine-year-old son, Ishaya Emmanuel, and was sentenced by a Maiduguri High Court.

The sentencing occurred at High Court Number 10, Maiduguri, Borno State, on October 1, 2011. The judge was Justice Pirogai Ngada.

Rebecca Emmanuel had been earlier granted bail by the court and consistently appeared at the court during her trial. She could not get the sympathy of the trial judge.

Justice Pirogai Ngada said:

“I agree that she has four children and has never absconded from bail but Section 221 of the law under which she is convicted is a mandatory provision of culpable homicide punishable by death. I wish I can temper justice with mercy. But I can’t because she is hereby sentenced to death by hanging.”

Sentencing

On October 1, 2011, Rebecca Emmanuel was sentenced to death by hanging.

Appeals

It was not clear whether Rebecca Emmanuel would appeal the judgement.

Outcome

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno commuted the death sentences of Rebecca Emmanuel and Mr Zakaria Saman to life imprisonment.

The commutation was based on the recommendation of the state's Committee on Prerogative of Mercy, and it followed the governor’s constitutional power of prerogative of mercy.

Aftermath

On May 29, 2012, Rebecca Emmanuel’s death sentence was commuted to life in prison.

The commutation was also described as affecting 46 inmates awaiting execution list, with additional references to freed inmates and statements about remorse and rehabilitation and re-integration into society. Mrs Nana Shettima offered to pay options of fines imposed on the inmates to enable them to regain their freedom.

Other details

Rebecca Emmanuel was described as a mother of four. Ishaya Emmanuel was described as the product of an illicit relationship between Rebecca and a military officer.

Rebecca Emmanuel had Ishaya out of wedlock, and it was stated that he was the product of an illicit relationship between Rebecca and a military officer.