The Tamale High Court has sentenced Salifu Nurudeen, a Computer Science student at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala campus, to death for the murder of his fellow student, Wumpini Mohammed Zakiu.
The court’s ruling follows a year-long investigation that began after Wumpini was found dead with multiple stab wounds on September 25, 2024. His body was discovered under suspicious circumstances, with his mobile phone missing—an early clue that later became central to the case.
Police traced the victim’s phone to Nurudeen’s location and found it concealed under his bed. Cybercrime investigators also uncovered that messages had been sent from the phone—one to Wumpini’s girlfriend pretending to end the relationship, and another to one of Wumpini’s friends, possibly to deflect suspicion.
Authorities arrested Nurudeen after luring him to Jubilee Park. While he admitted to sending the text messages, he denied any role in the killing. However, the court ruled that the circumstantial and digital evidence was overwhelming.
The motive was linked to a romantic rivalry. Nurudeen’s girlfriend, also a student at UDS, had reportedly left him and begun dating Wumpini, a situation believed to have sparked the fatal confrontation.
After examining the full body of evidence, the court found Nurudeen guilty of murder and sentenced him to death.
