A Kano-based cleric, Abduljabbar Nasiru-Kabara, facing prosecution at an Upper Shari’a Court, is to remain in remand, the court ruled on Wednesday as it fixed August 18 for his re-arraignment.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) from the police by the Office of the Attorney General, which prepared the charge against the cleric, Mr Nasiru-Kabara is to be charged with blasphemy, incitement, and other sundry offences.

The prosecution counsel, Aisha Mahmoud, told the court that the state had new information concerning the case.

Ms Mahmoud urged the court to adjourn the case to enable the prosecution to file a fresh charge against the defendant and present witnesses.

Responding, counsel to the defendant, Saleh Muhammad-Bakaro, prayed the court to compel the prosecution to furnish him with the names and addresses of the witnesses, citing Section 204 of Kano State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2019.

He also prayed the court to order the prosecution to provide all alleged audio, video clips and documents.

The presiding judge, Ibrahim Sarki-Yola, overruled the request of the defence counsel to furnish him with the list of witnesses and other documents.

Mr Sarki-Yola said the defence counsel should wait for the charge to be read to the defendant before seeking the prosecution witnesses names and other documents.

He urged all the counsel to respect each other and guard their utterances.

“This is a court, not a marketplace,” he said.

Mr Nasiru-Kabara, who was first arraigned before the court on July 16, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr Sarki-Yola ordered that the cleric be remanded in a correctional centre.